Sports After Dark

With only three rounds to go, the race for semi finals spots is hotting up. Results from this weekend’s games could end the hopes of some teams on the bubble, while others will cement their spots. Unfortunately other teams will just be playing for pride.

A top of the table clash this week will largely determine which teams will get home semi finals, while a bottom of the table clash will also provide a spectacle for fans as the next chapter in a heated rivalry.

Hurricanes vs Cheetahs
The weekend gets of to a slow start with this game between teams with little to no chance of making the semis. The Hurricanes returned to form two weeks ago to beat the Bulls but the bye last week with have done their rhythm no favours. Couple with their typically inconsistent performances this year, it is hard to say if the Hurricanes will come out firing or meekly roll over. The Cheetahs have lost two games from two on their New Zealand tour, performing well at times but struggling to score points. Even with the Hurricanes’ inconsistencies, they should be too good for the Cheetahs.

Chiefs vs Force
The wheels completely fell off the Force’s campaign last week when they were demolished  by the Crusaders. And the defensive holes that were exposed last week will once again be exposed by the explosive Chiefs back line. With some of the most elusive and dangerous open field runners in the Chiefs back three, the Force could spend a lot of time chasing ball runners. Coupled with the defensive woes of the Force, the Chiefs desperation will help them on their way to another win. If the Chiefs are to make the top four they will need to win all their remaining games, and if they play like they did last week, they will continue their winning ways.

Highlanders vs Crusaders
This round’s local derby is between these South Island neighbours. Both sides come into this game with some injury worries, having each lost their top locks for the remainder of the season. But with the Crusaders hitting top form last week it is hard to see the Highlanders causing an upset. Last week the Highlanders lost a high scoring affair which exposed their defence, something the Crusaders will look to exploit. Crusaders’ coach Robbie Deans has made some changes to his back line, bringing back Scott Hamilton while bracketing Rico Gear with Rua Tupoki on the bench. But despite these changes the Crusaders should come away with the points.

Blues vs Sharks
The match of the round has to be this top of the table clash. The Sharks opened the season with eight straight wins before going on a two game losing slide. Correcting that with a big win against the lowly Reds will have boosted their confidence but now they must come into town and beat the Blues, a team who also been in the top four since week one. The Blues are the form team in this year’s Super 14, having dispatched almost all comers, a trend which will likely continue against the Sharks. Despite their huge win last week, the Sharks are not actually playing all that well and while this game will be close for a while, the Blues will eventually run away with it.

Waratahs vs Reds
Even though these teams are at the bottom of the table, this match will provide another chapter in this storied Australian rivalry. The problem is, both teams have been so bad this year that nobody cares about their rivalry any more. The Waratahs have been a bad side all season, but the Reds have been even worse. While the Waratahs will win this game, do yourself a favour and watch something else.

Bulls vs Stormers
The Bulls can keep themselves in touch with the leading pack with a win this weekend, but against the resurgent Stormers this will be a difficult task. The Stormers easily dealt to the Lions last weekend and could well do the same to the Bulls. The Bulls are coming off the bye last week, but looked lost in going down to the Hurricanes two weeks ago. But even with that poor performance, the Bulls are back home where their massive forward pack dominates and they grind their opponents into submission. The Bulls will get the win and keep their hopes of a semi final berth alive.

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The Super 14 Week 11 Preview by Hamish McBrearty, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.