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The big movers in Jeff Wilson's updated Super Rugby Pacific power rankings
Almost after a month after ranking the Blues as the team to beat in Super Rugby Pacific, All Blacks great Jeff Wilson has changed things up in his power rankings.
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Speaking on The Breakdown, Wilson has kept the Blues in first place among his top five title contenders after they annihilated the Rebels 71-28 at Eden Park on Friday to keep their nine-match winning streak intact.
However, the Brumbies have surpassed the Crusaders to move into second place on Wilson’s rankings following their third consecutive win over Kiwi opposition last weekend.
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The Brumbies beat the Chiefs 38-28 in Hamilton on Saturday after beating the Highlanders and Hurricanes in the preceding weeks, proving their title credentials.
As such, Wilson has moved the Brumbies up two places from his previous rankings, noting the Canberra-based franchise were within touching distance of the Blues.
“I think this is actually a lot closer than I thought when I originally put it down,” Wilson told The Breakdown.
“If I had my time again, given the fact the Brumbies are going to have the Crusaders and Blues at home, and the way they performed last night [against the Chiefs], I am putting the Blues [at first] but only just.”
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Wilson added those home fixtures against the Blues and Crusaders will be a serious test of where the Brumbies are currently at.
“I started looking at the draw and I think to myself, ‘This Brumbies team, you know how difficult it is to play in Canberra, that is not an easy trip’,” the 60-test international said.
“They’re just win that one game against the Blues; it swings all the momentum in their favour. This is a great franchise that has been really strong for a long, long time.”
The Crusaders, meanwhile, are fresh off a 53-15 victory over the Western Force in Perth, but have moved down one spot in Wilson’s from second to third.
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The drop comes after Scott Robertson’s men lost to the Waratahs and Blues in two of their three previous matches before the win over the Force.
“The Crusaders stepped up when they needed to, they needed a big result,” Wilson told The Breakdown of the Crusaders’ win on Saturday.
“They were in control of the game, but it took them a while to get some momentum. They welcomed back Richie Mo’unga so I think that will help them going forward.”
Elsewhere, the Chiefs have moved down one spot from third to fourth in Wilson’s rankings following their loss to the Brumbies while, the Waratahs round out top five, taking the place of the Reds who have dropped out of the power rankings altogether.
“The Waratahs, to me, on the back of three really good weeks of performances, I think they are the big mover out of the Australian sides,” Wilson said.
With just three rounds remaining until finals, all five sides on Wilson’s rankings will be looking to consolidate crucial home field advantage come finals time with a top four finish in the regular season.
