Five talking points in Super Rugby this weekend

Previously unbeaten Melbourne Rebels and reigning champions Canterbury Crusaders are both looking to bounce back from defeats last weekend. Here are five talking points in Super Rugby:

No more Mr. Grumpy

Rebels coach Dave Wessels has blamed his grumpiness and lack of energy for his team’s first loss of the Super Rugby season, but has vowed not to make the same mistakes in Friday’s game with the Sharks.

The Rebels lost their unbeaten start in a 51-27 defeat to the Waratahs last weekend and Wessels took the rap for their performance.

“I was probably a little bit grumpy last week and I probably didn’t bring a great energy to the team, which I think rubbed off on the team and on the environment,” Wessels said.

“We haven’t had too much time to sit and feel sorry for ourselves. That’s life sometimes. We’ve got to get on with the job.”

Crotty eases crocked Crusaders

Defending champions  Crusaders have enjoyed some rare good news on the injury front as they prepare to face the Northern Bulls on Friday after suffering their first back-to-back losses in three years.

Inspirational captain Sam Whitelock and backline general Ryan Crotty have both recovered from concussion to give the eight-time champions a boost for the match in Christchurch.

The Crusaders still have an extensive sick list including All Blacks skipper Kieran Read, Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Israel Dagg and Richie Mo’unga.

But coach Scott Robertson was not looking for excuses, saying players at the most successful team in Super Rugby history were fired up.

“There’s been a little bit of an edge at training – it’s the expectations that come with the jersey, and we’ve got to drive it ourselves,” he said.

White hails hot Stormer

Teenage Stormers fly-half Damian Willemse will face the resurgent Reds in Cape Town buoyed by praise from 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning South Africa coach Jake White.

White saw Willemse, 19, star last weekend, scoring 17 points in a big win over Auckland Blues despite having spent most of the week in bed recovering from ‘flu.

“Damian is definitely the real deal. He ticks all the boxes and what I like most is that he is quick,” said White.

“One thing that South Africa has lacked for a long time is a really quick number 10.”

Sunwolves narrow the Super Rugby gap

Japan’s Sunwolves may have lost 30 of 34 games since joining Super Rugby in 2016 but they at least appear to be cutting down on the horror losses that marked their first two seasons before Saturday’s visit of the Chiefs to Tokyo.

Last weekend’s 40-38 defeat away to the Golden Lions was a marked improvement on the 94-7 mauling they suffered in Johannesburg last year.

After early calls for the Sunwolves to be booted out of Super Rugby, there are encouraging signs under Japan coach Jamie Joseph.

“I’m proud of the way the team played,” said captain Yutaka Nagare before Saturday’s visit by the Chiefs to Tokyo.

‘Underdog’ looks for Jaguares first

Lions coach Swys de Bruin raised a few eyebrows this week by labelling his side the “underdog” ahead of Saturday’s clash against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.

It is true that the Lions have been turned over on both previous visits to Argentina — 36-24 last year and 34-22 in 2016 – but on those occasions, they fielded second-string sides, as former coach Johan Ackermann opted to rest key players from the long journey to South America.

It is not an example de Bruin will follow and after the nervy 40-38 win over the Sunwolves last weekend the coach said he would be picking his strongest possible side.

“It’s nice to go there as the underdog,” he said. “We’ve never won there so that’s a challenge that works in our favour. We’re looking to play maximum rugby there. We still want to score five or more tries but we’ll work on our system not to give away so many.”