5 Storylines to Follow in Super Rugby Week 17
The penultimate round of the regular season will unfold in Super Rugby this weekend.
The table toppers will be looking to recover from a rare defeat last week while there are personal battles being waged in the all-Aussie clash in Perth.
With just two rounds left there is still much that can change in the play-off picture thanks to the Crusaders’ late charge up the New Zealand conference and the rampant Lions in South Africa, who hunted down the Waratahs last week.
Life is never dull in the Super XV.
Here are the key stories to look for this week.
1. Crusaders on the Charge
A thumping win over the table-topping Hurricanes last week has kept hope alive for the Crusaders.
Having beaten the leaders 35-18, Todd Blackadder's men face another kiwi derby when they meet the Blues.
John Kirwan's side have been off the pace all season and the in-form Christchurch franchise will fancy their chances of earning maximum points to keep the pressure up on the wild-card teams above them.
It will depend on what the Brumbies do in Perth and how the Chiefs fare in Queensland as to whether a maximum win will even be enough for the Crusaders, but TV pundit Scotty Stevenson is not ruling anything out, as he wrote in the New Zealand Herald:
I have witnessed miracles before: my children dressing themselves, someone marrying me, the self-deluding popularity of kale as a snack food, but those miracles are major. The Crusaders somehow managing to nab a playoff spot from the brink of oblivion wouldn't rate a mention in the beatification bulletin. It just wouldn't surprise me.
2. Opportunity Knocks for Lock Broadhurst
Hurricanes second row James Broadhurst will be aiming for an eye-catching display this weekend to boost his hopes of an All Black call.
His chances have risen with Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu ruled out of World Cup duty after opting for hip surgery.
And the New Zealand Herald's Wynne Gray reckons the man who partners Jeremy Thrush in the Wellington side's engine room could be the perfect replacement:
Thrush has been more of a lineout target while Broadhurst has impressed with his athletic ball-carrying and defence in the wide channels and also close to the rucks. His impact has gone up a notch and in most matches he has shown the constructive power the All Blacks want from their tight five.
3. Aussie Wings Face-off
Two contenders for the Wallaby wing jersey go head to head in Perth when Western Force talisman Nick Cummins meets Brumbies' danger man Henry Speight.
There's no doubt Speight has enjoyed the better season of the two, with Cummins struggling to recapture the fireworks of his previous spell with the Force before spending a season in Japan.
And Speight has teed the rivalry up nicely ahead of the weekend's clash, telling the Canberra Times:
"In his terms, he got a meat pie (Cummins' term for try) over me at the beginning of the season, so hopefully I can get him back at home," Speight said. "If he doesn't get any meat pies this week, I'll be happy. If that means he's on a vegetarian diet, so be it."
4. Lions Ready to Roar Against Stormers
A mouth–watering all South African clash is on the menu this weekend when the Lions visit the Stormers.
The Pretoria-based franchise turned the reining champions over last weekend with a 27-22 win over the Waratahs to keep their playoff chances bubbling.
Coach Johan Ackermann told the Star via iol.co.za:
“If we’re able to play with the same intensity we had tonight against the Waratahs we’ll be in with a shout. It’ll come down to our attitude and our hunger. Obviously the weather will be different and the Stormers remain favourites to get into the play-offs, but we’ll have our own game plan.”
They will be up against a confident Stormers outfit whose live–wire backs are firing on all cylinders.
Sevens star Seabelo Senatla scored twice as they bagged five tries against the Cheetahs in a 42-12 romp, per iol.co.za, and will be relishing the prospect of going through to the knockout stages with a strong showing in front of their home crowd.
5. Can Barrett Close out for the Canes?
The Hurricanes welcome back fly-half Beauden Barrett this weekend as they seek to recover form that 35-18 defeat to the Crusaders.
They face the Highlanders, who could still overhaul the leaders with a bonus-point win.
Daniel Richardson writes in the New Zealand Herald:
In his absence, youngster Otere Black and utility James Marshall have split the No 10 duties and while they're fine players in their own right, they don't have the game management of Barrett.
Look for the pretender to Dan Carter’s throne to put in a command performance to secure home advantage in the semi-finals for his team.