Just to show you how attritional a game rugby has come, we're only into week 3 of Super Rugby and we have quite possibly lost two high profile players for the rest of the season.
It appears the Brumbies and Stormers may have lost David Pocock and Bryan Habana respectively following serious cruciate ligament injuries. The injury is probably most galling to the Brumbies who recruited David Pocock in the off-season to much aplomb.
However, both players are equally integral in the plans of both these title-chasing sides and now the coaches must dramatically readjust their game plans without two of their star players.
At least for the Brumbies, they do have a capable if perhaps slightly aging replacement in George Smith - although I think George Smith as a player retired from international rugby prematurely and I think he has plenty to offer yet (perhaps Robbie Deans should consider tempting him out from retirement for the Lions series).
And the Stormers, do have quite good depth out on the wings and should be able to cope fairly well in Habana's absence. Furthermore, it was set to be Habana's last season anyway for the Stormers, having agreed a move to France at the end of the season.
However, they will sorely miss Habana's experience and versatility - as well as his defence. And it's a sad way to end for one of the most electric players ever to play in Super Rugby. For rugby neutrals sake, let's hope it's not the last we've seen of Bryan Habana in Super Rugby.
On another note, something must have afflicted New Zealand's first fives this weekend. Apart from Baden Kerr and Beauden Barrett, all of them were quite off their game. Dan Carter was average with the kicking game but at least he didn't have as bad a day as Lima Sopoaga and to a certain extent, Aaron Cruden.
At least, Aaron Cruden had the chance to play the whole 80 minutes, the last of which should really have involved a drop goal which he has shown to be capable of - God knows, why he decided to run himself into several Stormers all alone with nothing on either side.
Spare a thought for Lima Sopoaga who had one of those games he'd really rather forget soon enough - and we fear could traumatize him for life. Two kickoffs out on the full and two big mistakes which led to tries to the Cheetahs.
Sopoaga and Cruden are young and very talented but this was one weekend where you'd hope they will learn much from.
I thought Habana had already left for a French contract? I would say it benefits Smith who gets a call up, provided he plays , just plays; he will make the Lions tour.
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