Pick'n Go
Super Rugby only now entering championship rounds
Sam Bruce
May 4, 2015
Michael Hooper and David Pocock went to-to-toe but neither proved victors © Getty Images
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It was hard to escape the "Fight of the Century" between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao at the weekend; it was really the only sporting contest anyone wanted to talk about. The jury is out over whether the fight delivered on its hype, but Super Rugby Round 12 actually served up some boxing parallels of its own -good and bad, the central pugilistic art aside, of course.

Openside slather: two into seven does not go

The Brumbies' David Pocock organises the defence, Waratahs v Brumbies, Sydney, March 22, 2015
Pocock and Hooper battle may have been called a split-decision © Getty Images
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If Mayweather and Pacquiao were the weekend's chief combatants, then Michael Hooper and David Pocock were Super Rugby's non-violent equivalents. The openside rivals went toe-to-toe in Canberra on Friday in a match that was billed as a showdown for the Wallabies No.7 jersey. But we didn't learn anything we didn't already know. Hooper played loose and excelled in the first half before Pocock got over the ball and dominated the second 40.

If the Wallabies selectors had been sitting sideline - and their coaches were ringside in the respective boxes at GIO Stadium -they would have almost certainly scored it as a split-decision. Where boxing fans would usually demand a rematch a few months down the track - perhaps even in September -Australian rugby supporters will be more than happy for the duo to be fighting out of the same corner on foreign soil through that month and October.

2015: one campaign too many for the Crusaders?

Boxing has had many fading champions over the years, fighters who have gone on just that little bit too long as they fail to deal with the move away from the spotlight. A brave man alone will write off the Crusaders completely, but their bout with the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday certainly had that sort of "fading glory" feel.

The Crusaders' Colin Slade slides through the defence, Hurricanes v Crusaders, Wellington, May 2, 2015
Colin Slade, Dan Carter and Richie McCaw may not get their fairy tale ending © Getty Images
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The Crusaders are by far and away Super Rugby's finest franchise; their seven titles are testament to that. But languishing in ninth spot, with trips to Canberra and Sydney as well as a couple of tough New Zealand derbies to come, Todd Blackadder's side face an almighty fight to make the semi-finals. They started brightly enough in Wellington, with their All Blacks playmakers, Colin Slade and Dan Carter, combining for the game's first try. And Slade added another before the break to have the visitors in the hunt at half-time. But the Crusaders simply couldn't go with the Hurricanes when the hosts lifted their tempo in the second-half.

Carter and Slade are off to pastures more lucrative at the end of the year while Richie McCaw - who didn't play in Wellington through concussion - is tipped to retire; each man has been a fine servant of Canterbury rugby and will be richly deserving of the ultimate send-off. Unfortunately for the star trio, it's starting to look as though time has finally caught up with the Crusaders.

Controversy: hors de combat

The Rebels' Colby Faingaa celebrates his side's victory, Rebels v Chiefs, Melbourne, May 2, 2015
The Rebels took the spoils, but the Chiefs were humble in defeat © Getty Images
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If there is one thing that boxing thrives on, it's controversy; and the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout was no different. The Filipino southpaw claimed after the bout to have won the fight, while the American used his post-fight press-conference to attack the media in the search for a positive headline. Plus ca change …

The Chiefs could easily have dished up on the officiating in Melbourne on Friday night; they certainly had a right to unload post-match but they were gracious in defeat following their shock loss to the Rebels. Caned in the penalty count, the Chiefs were denied a five-pointer due to a curious rolling maul ruling, while the Rebels scored a try right on half-time that had more than just a little bit of doubt about it. This match wasn't short on controversy but, unlike the lads in Las Vegas, the Chiefs handled the situation with nothing but grace.

We had only 12 rounds to enjoy in Las Vegas, but that bell only marks the beginning of the fun in Super Rugby, which only now enters the championship weeks.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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