Super 15 Rugby

Despite what was a rollercoaster of a 2013 Super XV season, Crusaders remain one of the strongest powers in southern hemisphere rugby and will continue to challenge for silverware throughout the postseason.

This weekend, the Christchurch outfit will go up against the Queensland Reds in an attempt to meet either the Bulls or the Chiefs in a semifinal fixture.

Irrespective of their extra qualifier, however, Todd Blackadder’s men should remain as favourites to take home the title.

This season, the Crusaders’ biggest problem was without a shadow of a doubt their lack of consistency.

At times, the star-studded cast at Christchurch Stadium would dazzle with the type of rugby patrons would pay to come and watch. At others, it seemed as if another set of players had turned up for the game.

For example, while the season has taken on many unsavoury turns at times, there’s always been an outcome on the other end of the spectrum to turn things in the New Zealand franchise’s favour.

Over the last five months, the Crusaders have fallen victim to some teams one might not have predicted heading into the campaign including the Blues and Western Force.

However, wins over the Chiefs and Hurricanes in Rounds 19 and 20 of the regular season show that perhaps the Crusaders are entering a favourable run of form, especially when considering the scrappy yet effective mode with which they dealt with the latter of those two.

With the mercurial Dan Carter at 10, the seven-time giants will always have an assured and classy presence from the tee, something journalist Ben Coles confirmed on Twitter:

While the likes of Israel Dagg and Zac Guildford stand out as two of the back line’s more potent assets, a talented forward pack is helped leaps and bounds by the figures of Kieran Read, Tom Donnelly, Corey Flynn, Owen Franks and others.

However, the forward set to have the biggest role in the Crusaders’ qualifying hopes is the returning Richie McCaw, recently coming out of his rugby hiatus.

According to ABC, the New Zealand legend will play off the bench against the Reds, making his first appearance of the Super Rugby season.

McCaw is one of the few players in rugby who can quite literally tip the balance of a game pretty much single-handedly, with his skills at the breakdown and overall knowledge of the game an incredible asset to welcome back at this stage of the year.

Even if the Crusaders progress past their home qualifier against the Reds, they’ll face the Bulls in their semifinal, who they beat 41-19 in Round 5 of the season.

With that being the case, a final with the Chiefs would seem the most likely should they then move into the climax of the campaign, where neutral territory would see both teams—having beaten each other on home ground this season—play on a level field.

Although they’re outsiders to win honours at the moment, one can bet that the 2011 Super XV runners-up have enough in their tank to go on and win this year’s edition of the title.

The first 20 weeks of the Super 15 Rugby season are in the books, and only the top six teams remain in pursuit of a championship.

Some of those six teams had to fight tooth and nail in Week 20 to secure their spot in the final stage, while others were simply fighting for pride. Here’s a look at last week’s Super 15 Rugby results:

Crusaders 25, Hurricanes 17

Rebels 38, Highlanders 37

Chiefs 26, Blues 16

Reds 14, Waratahs 12

Western Force 21, Brumbies 15

Sharks 58, Southern Kings 13

Stormers 30, Bulls 13

The Waikato Chiefs put an exclamation point on their league-leading campaign with a 26-16 victory in Week 20, and they’ll enter the playoffs with a first-round bye—as will the second-place Bulls, though they’re coming off a deflating 30-13 loss to close out last week’s action.

But before the Chiefs and Bulls can continue their pursuit of the title, the other four teams in the field will have to face off to decide those Round 22 matchups.

For the Crusaders, Reds, Brumbies and Cheetahs, there’s no looking ahead.

With a pair of do-or-die matchups on the slate for Week 21, let’s preview all the playoff action and break down what to watch for in the first round of the Super 15 Rugby playoffs.

Crusaders vs. Reds

Last Week: Crusaders 25, Hurricanes 17; Reds 14, Waratahs 12

The Crusaders capped off their regular-season schedule with a 25-17 win over the Crusaders in Week 20, but they didn’t look like a team ready to make a strong push in the playoffs.

Despite taking an early lead, the Crusaders struggled to close the door, needing a late try to close out an extremely physical Hurricanes squad. Another performance like that in Week 21 could spell an early exit for the Crusaders.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Reds were proving why they can’t be overlooked in this contest.

Needing a victory to move up to fifth place, the Reds pulled out a hard-fought 14-12 win over the Waratahs, though they took advantage of a little luck in the process.

The Warartahs had an opportunity to seal the victory with a penalty kick in the closing minutes, but the effort missed the mark and punctuated Queensland’s impressive run to the playoffs.

Now, both squads prepare to face off on Saturday for a chance to take one more step toward a title.

The No. 4 Crusaders notched 11 wins this season, propelled by some gritty performances and timely scoring. Canterbury probably would have liked to end their regular season on a more impressive note, but sometimes it takes a grind-out affair to set the tone for ensuing matches.

Just a win behind the Crusaders in the tables, the Reds have picked up steam at just the right time, fresh off a three-week layoff prior to their Week 20 victory.

Both squads should be well-prepared for a physical contest, but that extra rest for Queensland could be the difference between an early exit and a Round 22 berth.

Prediction: Reds 28, Crusaders 19

Brumbies vs. Cheetahs

Last Week: Western Force 21, Brumbies 15; Cheetahs (Bye)

Unlike the Reds, the Brumbies followed a couple weeks off with a crushing 21-15 loss to the Western Force last week, raising questions about how prepared they are to take on the No. 6 Cheetahs fresh off a bye in Week 20.

Still, the Brumbies went 10-4 in regular-season play and head coach Jake White admits last week’s loss was primarily a product of looking too far ahead, per SuperXV.com:

We're probably guilty of thinking about next week, we're just lucky that this loss came this week when we are still in with a shot. It was never going to be a situation where we just showed up and took the points and that perhaps is how we approached this game. We know we've played a lot of good rugby this year, we can't be worried about this denting our confidence.

Hopefully White is right in assuming the loss was simply a result of overconfidence. After a subpar performance in Week 20, the Brumbies should use that defeat as fuel for a much better outing in front of their home crowd in the playoffs.

The Cheetahs will be well rested following a Week 20 bye, however, and are coming off a 34-13 dismantling of the Blues the previous week. In what is shaping up to be a hard-hitting affair, the Cheetahs may have the edge they need to take down the No. 3 Brumbies.

And it also helps they have confidence in their abilities. As quoted by SuperXV.com, Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss is convinced the team has made the strides necessary for a title run:

Our mindset is definitely the difference between this year and last year. This year we really have the belief that we can make it. We've had some good results and some youngsters also put up their hands. We've got a bit of a rest now but we'll still be training for the play offs. That's for sure.

Confidence and rest bode well for the visitors, but will it be enough to upend the third-place finishers on their home turf?

Prediction: Brumbies 34, Cheetahs 28

The conclusion of the Super 15 regular season doesn’t mean Southern Hemisphere rugby has given all it has to offer. In fact, the best, as they say, is very much yet to come.

Although we already knew just who would be progressing to the postseason action, this weekend revealed to us just who would be pitted against whom, and as always, the outcome is far from disappointing.

Having won their conferences and taken the top two spots, the Bulls and the Chiefs have already booked their semifinal spots, leaving the Crusaders, Reds, Brumbies and Cheetahs to fight for a place as their opponents.

Although the “Curse of the Commentator” would see any such attempt at foresight go awry, here we’ll consider the lineups and attempt to envisage just how the qualifiers might pan out.

Crusaders

Since changing to a 15-team format, the Crusaders are yet to fail in reaching at least the semifinal stage of the Super Rugby postseason—a record they’ll strive to uphold in 2013.

The 2011 finalists were lucky to win in Round 20, overcoming a worthy Hurricanes effort thanks largely to the boot of the evergreen Dan Carter.

And how likely is the New Zealand fly-half to play a similar role in what the Christchurch side will hope is another three fixtures of the finals?

Pitted against the Reds in their qualifier, it’s a tale of second meets second; Australia’s second-best clashing with the runner-up of the New Zealand conference.

This reincarnation of the 2011 Super 15 Rugby final could have a different outcome—Queensland having come out on top of that particular encounter—with home advantage likely to be a massive factor.

Having not lost since late May, the Crusaders are in fine form (save for their Round 20 blip), and with their home record still untainted all season, the trip to New Zealand could be a tough one for the Reds.

Reds

In terms of squad strength, there’s no greater boost the Queensland Reds will receive than following the conclusion of a British and Irish Lions tour.

Although the duo of Will Genia and James Horwill were unfit to feature in the Reds’ Round 20 victory over the NSW Waratahs, Ewen McKenzie looks likely to bring his star pair back in time for the test of the Crusaders.

The welcoming of the Reds’ international stars will be essential, too, if the Brisbane outfit are to overcome a dynasty like the Crusaders, a team which it seems are engrained in Super Rugby history.

Quade Cooper’s contributions will be of particular significance. After his omission from the Australian squad for the Lions tour, the flashy figure will be out more than ever to prove his worth as a world-class No.10, albeit not to everyone’s taste.

In Horwill’s absence, James Slipper has taken the captaincy of the team, doing a decent job of it in his stead.

The likes of Digby Ioane and Luke Morahan are some other faces who are bound to prove vital in returning from international action. However, the Reds will need their stock players—players who’ve been a force for the entire season, such as Liam Gill and Beau Robinson—to maintain their high standards as well.

Brumbies

One of two Australian teams making their way to the qualifiers, the Brumbies’ performances during the regular season weren’t enough to ensure them a semifinal spot.

Instead, the third-placed side will face the lowest-ranked wild-card side, the Cheetahs, as they seek to join their fellow conference winners in the next phase of the tournament.

However, the Canberra-based outfit aren’t coming into this match with the best of form, having lost their final game of regular season 21-15 to third-from-bottom Western Force.

An anomaly such as this is to be expected, considering the team hadn’t had a competitive game for more than a month previous. But with Australia’s other four clubs all managing to show impressive pedigree in Round 20, questions must still be raised.

This season is the Brumbies’ first postseason appearance at the qualifying stage, and Jake White’s men won’t come upon many better chances to advance even further.

The return of Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander, Christian Leali’ifano, Pat McCabe and Joe Tomane from their Australia duties will provide a morale boost for the Brumbies.

Cheetahs

For the past two seasons, the Central Cheetahs have floated around Super 15 Rugby mediocrity—neither the worst of South African provinces nor its finest outfit.

However, a 2013 surge has seen the side seemingly capitalise on the misery of the expelled Lions, bringing about unheralded success for South Africa’s newest big guns.

The Cheetahs managed to pull off an impressive second-place finish in the South African conference, sixth in the overall table and advancing as the lowest-ranked wild-card team as a result.

Such a reputation may work in their favour, though, with a nothing-to-lose attitude often bringing about favourable results for the underdog.

On paper, Naka Drotske’s side would appear massive underdogs to win against the Brumbies but have managed some impressive wins last season, including upsets against the Reds, Highlanders and Waratahs.

Chiefs and Bulls fans can put their feet up this week and watch with glee as their four rivals for Super 15 glory batter and bruise each other in the dreaded playoffs.

Whilst it probably won’t be a week of topping up the tan, sipping cocktails and late-night partying, it will afford the Super 15’s pace setters an extra week to recuperate ahead of the semi-finals. 

And judging from the Chiefs' Twitter page, they’re pretty happy that rivals Brumbies—who recently made history by beating the British and Irish Lions—lost against the Stormers to send them into a playoff:

The fixture computer kept the playoff sides apart in the initial league competition, making preparation even tougher for the four teams involved as they try to suss out each other’s games.

Playoff Fixtures and Start Times

July 20: Canterbury Crusaders vs. Queensland Reds

AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand

K/O Time: 3:35 a.m. ET (8:35 a.m. GMT)

July 21: ACT Brumbies vs. Central Cheetahs

Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Australia

K/O Time: 2:10 a.m ET (7:10 a.m. GMT)

*Chiefs and Bulls have a bye to the semi-finals.

Canterbury Crusaders vs. Queensland Reds. Sound familiar? Two years ago the Reds fought their way past the Crusaders to win the Super League final 18-13.

This time around, the Crusaders have home advantage and are ready to inflict revenge for their 2011 defeat. They enter the match full of confidence after four straight wins, including a 43-15 slaughter of table-topping Chiefs, and are in pole position to progress.

Quade Cooper’s return for the Reds at fly half gives them a real boost ahead of the match. The 2011 Super League’s leading points scorer couldn’t prevent his side’s 14-12 defeat to the Waratahs at the weekend, but his kicking could make the difference in what will be a tight and nervy contest.

The other playoff pits the Brumbies against the Cheetahs. All the Brumbies had to do was topple lowly Western Force to guarantee an automatic semi-final place, but their 21-15 failure now means they must host a game they didn’t think they’d have to play.

After the high of becoming the first provincial side since 1997 to beat the Lions, it seems inconceivable that their Super 15 campaign could end so soon. And yet they will face a fresh Cheetahs side who have excelled beyond expectation to reach their first ever playoff.

Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss puts their success down to belief, according to the official Super 15 website. “Our mindset is definitely the difference between this year and last year,” he said. “This year we really have the belief that we can make it.”

A Brumbies win lands them a ticket to South Africa and the formidable prospect of facing the Bulls, who threw away their chances of getting a more favourable semi-final draw by losing 30-13 to the Stormers in Round 20.

With the rest of the weekend’s action ready to unfold on Saturday evening, there’s already been plenty of cause for excitement in the first batch of fixtures from the final round of this Super XV regular season.

So far, the Auckland Crusaders are the only qualified side who know where they’ll be ending up in the playoffs, with the Cheetahs, Reds, Blues, Bulls and Chiefs still waiting to find out their placement.

With three matches down and another four left to go, the following picks have impressed greatly in this weekend’s early outings, regardless of their postseason fate.

Victor Vito, Hurricanes

Although their season was rounded off in undesirable fashion, crashing out as 25-17 losers to the Crusaders, the Hurricanes put up a worthy fight against their wild-card opposition this weekend.

In the end, the irrepressible boot of Dan Carter was enough to ensure the victory for the Christchurch side, although the eight-point deficit perhaps doesn’t speak kindly enough of the Hurricanes’ resolve.

Tested as the rounded outlet he’s proven himself to be in the past, Victor Vito was a major instrument for the Wellington visitors both with the ball and without.

Showing a great eye for support, the 26-year-old made the most of a Matt Proctor break, latching onto his teammates’ offload and crashing over from short range.

However, it was the defensive graft put in by the back-rower at the breakdown that pointed him out as a key performer, working hard for the turnover and giving the Hurricanes reason to believe they deserved more from this encounter.

Ben Tameifuna, Chiefs

Admittedly, the Chiefs’ most recent clash against the Blues was helped leaps and bounds by the sending off of opposition forward, Kane Barrett, but that isn’t to dampen the personal exploits of “Big” Ben Tameifuna.

The heavyweight prop capitalised on the 14-man opposition, scoring his fifth and sixth tries of the Super XV season, providing his side with the stimulus for their 26-16- victory.

With that victory, the Chiefs move to the summit of the standings as a result and the Waikato side can only hope that Tameifuna’s confidence comes to the plate in the coming stages of the competition.

James O’Connor, Rebels

Without a doubt the best player in this weekend’s action so far, James O’Connor’s contribution to the Rebels’ cause this weekend can be described as nothing other than game-changing.

They say that the mark of a great player is one who can lift the playing standard of not just himself, but of all those playing around him—O’Connor did just that.

At halftime, the Melbourne Rebels were 31-7 to the Highlanders, but managed to finish with a 38-37 victory following the second half introduction of O’Connor.

The 23-year-old proceeded to have a direct hand in three Rebels tries, improving the overall morale of his side with a touch of calmed skill more than anything.

The performance is only dampened by the news that O’Connor would not be renewing his deal with the Australian outfit and was released earlier this week, per the Telegraph.

From his above tweet, it would seem O’Connor is sad to see his time as a Rebel come to its end.

The Southern Hemisphere contains rugby’s most feared beings. A potent mix of height and mass that forever crash through bodies on the sports field.

Here is a look at the players still left in the Super 15 who have made the biggest contribution to their side’s defensive work with tackle after tackle for the cause.

Pieter Labuschagne, Central Cheetahs

Imagine 105 kilograms hurtling at you at 20 mph continuously for 80 minutes.

That is the objective for South African flanked Labuschagne every time he takes to the field. It’s no surprise the Cheetahs sit third in the tackling charts when you consider the 230-plus tackles their forward has landed.

The Cheetahs star comprehensively tops the tackle stats league and his hitting is imperative to the Cheetahs' success. They face a mammoth task to make it out of their sudden-death playoff and will need every ounce of effort from their leading tackler to help break down superior opposition.

Together with loose forward Philip van der Walt, Labuschagne has battered opposition into submission. As faster, stronger opponents come up against the Cheetahs, he can be the difference.

Matt Todd, Canterbury Crusaders

Fourth on the tackling list sits Matt Todd, who has enjoyed an impressive season with the Crusaders, who now face the playoffs to determine their future in the competition.

Todd has bruised opponents close to 200 times already this campaign and will be looking to add to that tally as his side chase glory.

Todd comes alive at the breakdown, leading his Crusaders coach to label him “the turnover King,” according to the club website. He can’t break into the All Blacks side, though, and will be desperately hoping that Super 15 success will lead to opportunities with his country.

The Courier-Mail's Jamie Pandaram suggests that donning the famous No. 7 jersey in replacement of Crusaders legend Richie McCaw has made Todd even more ambitious.

“That makes you hungry,” Todd said. “You want to make the most of every opportunity because you don't know when you will play again.”

Sam Cane, Waikato Chiefs

Another man you’d be wise to avoid when angry is Sam Cane. Even though he is just 21 years old, the New Zealander is unafraid to launch himself into tackles.

Unsurprisingly, his performances have been noted by the All Blacks after taking the rugby world by storm in his youth. His 179 tackles put him fifth in the overall standings—impressive given he hasn’t been guaranteed a club start this season.

The Chiefs emphatically won their Round 20 without Cane, who had a head knock according to Radio Sport's Guy Heveldt. But with a week’s rest guaranteed after they secured an automatic semifinal spot, he has plenty of time to return.

They boast an incredibly strong team, and with Cane only likely to improve and get more powerful, it’s an exciting time for the New Zealanders.

Worrying for the Chiefs, though, is that they have struggled to keep the door shut and need other team members to step up and fly into challenges like Cane.

For many teams, Round 20 signals the end of the Super 15 season. However for those fortunate to be perched near the top of the league, it’s only just beginning. Here we preview the final set of fixtures.

July 13: Blues vs. Chiefs, Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. K/O Time: 3.45 a.m ET.

The Chiefs still have it all to play for. Victory would land them an automatic semifinal spot and potentially first place in the league if the Bulls slip up against the Stormers. They were crushed 43-15 by Crusaders recently and will need to bounce back quickly to avoid ending up in the sudden death playoffs.

The Blues have nothing but honour to play for, and Sky Sports have reported four changes to their side as they look to end a five-match losing streak.

July 13: Waratahs vs. Reds, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia. K/O Time: 5.40 a.m ET.

The Reds must negotiate a tricky away clash with the Waratahs before facing the lottery of the playoffs. With Australian sides not playing during the Wallabies recent Lions Tests, rustiness is bound to be a factor although both sides enter the clash on the back of solid wins.

Waratah’s coach Michael Cheika dispelled any idea that his team wouldn’t treat the match in a competitive manner, as reported by ABC.net. “So there's a lot stake for us,” Cheika said on Thursday. “I was saying to the boys that if we can beat the Reds this week, we're going to finish with the same number of wins as them.”

July 13: Force vs. Brumbies, NIB Stadium, Perth, Australia. K/O Time: 7.45 a.m ET.

The Brumbies enter their clash with Western Force knowing that victory could help them sneak an automatic semifinal spot. They currently sit third, two points behind the Chiefs in second, and have won three straight games. Colby Faingaa is rewarded with a starting berth at the expense of Wallabies international George Smith, according to the Herald Sun.

They recorded a historic victory over the Lions in their last match and are clear favourites against a Force side already destined to finish bottom of the Australian Conference.

July 13: Sharks vs. Kings, Kings Park, Durban, South Africa. K/O Time: 11.05 a.m ET.

Basement side Kings already know their fate lies in a two-legged play-off against Lions which will determine their Super 15 status. They can still claw themselves off the bottom of the overall table with victory though.

The Sharks have nothing but pride to play for against their South African rivals and will still be reeling from their recent dramatic 20-19 defeat to the Bulls. Riaan Viljoen missed a late kick in that game and will hope to make amends this time out.

July 13: Stormers vs. Bulls, Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa. K/O Time: 1.10 p.m ET.

One victory is all the Bulls need to grab top spot in the league and a place in the semifinals. They face a Stormers side intent on crashing the party after seeing their own playoff dreams crushed last time out.

The Bulls make three changes, according to Sky Sports, as they seek a 10th straight success in the league. It will be interesting to see how their nerves hold after their nail-biting victory over the Sharks, though.

The final week of the Super 15 Rugby season is upon us, and with the knockout stage approaching, this week’s matches will set the tone for the chase for a title.

The week kicked off with two matches on Friday, both of which featured plenty of action and some late surprises.

In the first match of the day, the Canterbury Crusaders hung on long enough to tack on some late-match scoring and pull off a tremendous 25-17 win in a hard-fought battle.

The second contest held much of the same drama, as the Melbourne Rebels pulled off a late comeback to edge out the Otago Highlanders 38-37.

Let’s take a closer look at both matches and break down the biggest storylines from each Super 15 contest.

Canterbury Crusaders 25, Wellington Hurricanes 17

Despite taking an early lead on a Zac Guildford try, the Crusaders had to battle to retain their lead in the late going, eventually notching tries from Andy Ellis and Tom Marshall to pull away late in the contest.

While the Hurricanes played tremendous defense throughout the showdown, Canterbury certainly didn’t look like a budding title contender. If not for some late-match heroics, the Hurricanes may have run away with the victory in the second half.

One of the biggest stories of the contest was a series of questionable calls on the part of match officials, as some late penalties halted the Hurricanes’ momentum with scoring opportunities in their grasp.

Every Crusader try in the match came off turnovers, highlighting the sloppy mistakes that negated an otherwise tremendous performance from the Hurricanes. Wellington was led by a strong trio in Victor Vito, Brad Shields and Julian Savea, each with tries in the loss.

With the win, the Crusaders improved to 11-5 in their last 16 matches and face a potential matchup with either the Reds or the Cheetahs in the knockout stage.

Melbourne Rebels 38, Otago Highlanders 37

The second match of the day may not have meant much, but it featured just as much action as the day’s first contest.

With the Rebels and Highlanders both out of title contention, each team set out to defend its pride and come away with a hard-fought victory in its final match of the season.

It looked as if Otago would have it locked up, but the Rebels came roaring back in the final minutes of play to turn the tables and hand the Highlanders a stinging 38-37 defeat.

Otago got off to a strong start with four tries in the first half, but that momentum faded down the stretch. With James O’Connor entering the match in the second half, the Rebels picked up steam and relied on the flyhalf to set up three tries in the late going.

But it was Bryce Hegarty who would put the finishing touches on the comeback.

With a minute remaining and his team trailing by one, Hegarty hammered home his second try of the contest to secure the unlikely victory and give the Rebels their fifth win of the season—their highest win total in the last three years.

It may not have meant anything in relation to the title chase, but the win was a huge boost for a Melbourne team searching for a prideful victory in its final match.

With the loss, Otago finishes in 13th place in the league, left to look ahead to next season.

With the 20th and final round of play in the Super 15 Rugby season set to take place this weekend, rugby fans across the globe are looking forward to the knockout stage. Before that can happen, however, there is still a handful of intriguing matches left to be played.

Even though pretty much everything is settled with regard to which teams' title hopes will remain alive, Saturday's matches are important for momentum purposes. Every team wants to enter the knockout round with confidence and a win under its belt, so look for all of the teams to turn in an honest effort even if their spot is already locked up.

In addition to the full fixtures listed for Saturday's Round 20 matches, here are the top matches that you simply don't want to miss.

Round 20 Fixtures

Matches to Watch

Western Stormers vs. Blue Bulls

As the top team in the standings, the Bulls are safely into the knockout stage, but they must pick up four points in order to solidify a first-place finish. With the Chiefs just two points behind and the Brumbies being only four back, there is a bit of pressure on the Bulls. Their match on Saturday won't be easy, either, as the Stormers are a very dangerous team despite their seventh-place standing.

The Stormers were one of the final four teams remaining in each of the past four seasons, so even though they have yet to win a championship, the Stormers have plenty of experience in a big match. Saturday's match will essentially be the Stormers' title game this year since they won't actually be able to play for all the marbles. With that in mind, they will give the Bulls all they can handle.

The Bulls are just 8-10-1 in 19 all-time meetings with the Stormers, so history isn't necessarily on their side. The Bulls have had a fantastic season, however, so they won't allow past struggles to affect them on Saturday.

New South Wales Waratahs vs. Queensland Reds

Another intriguing Round 20 matchup will put the eighth-place Waratahs against the sixth-place Reds. While the Waratahs can't catch the Reds at this point, they will certainly be out to prove that they aren't far off from where they need to be. The Reds have developed into a marquee team, however, so they aren't going to lay down for the Waratahs.

The Reds won their first and only league title two years ago and they are hoping to add a second trophy to their mantel. The Reds will have to do it as a wild-card team this time around, which won't be easy, but a win over the Waratahs could really help their confidence level. The Waratahs want to enter next season on a high note, though, and they appear to be well prepared for the encounter, as seen on the team's official Twitter account.

The Waratahs and Reds are two of the bitterest rivals in Super 15 Rugby, so their matches are always intense regardless of what is on the line. Even though the knockout stage won't really be affected by this particular match, both teams are going to do whatever it takes to win.

Auckland Blues vs. Waikato Chiefs

As the defending league champions, the Chiefs are totally focused on winning back-to-back titles. They are currently in second place and are just two points behind the Bulls, so a win against the Blues on Saturday could potentially make them the top seed. The Blues have already been eliminated from contention, but head coach John Kirwan believes that his team will be motivated to beat the Chiefs on Saturday, according to the Blues' official Twitter account.

The Blues are one of the most successful teams in Super 15 Rugby history, as they have won three titles, so they are used to excellence. The team hasn't lived up to its lofty standards this season, but that doesn't mean that they can't compete with the Chiefs. The Chiefs could very easily be looking ahead to the knockout round, so perhaps the Blues can catch them napping.

There are plenty of reasons to be interested in this match, as it could set the tone for the Blues next season and it could also have knockout stage implications depending upon how the Chiefs fare. If they come out on top, then there will suddenly be a lot of pressure on the Bulls later in the day.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

In the final weekend of the regular Super 15 season, the Southern Hemisphere promises to round off their campaigns with a bang, regardless of whether or not they’ll advance to the competition’s finals.

The Crusaders are so far the only outfit to have already booked their spot in the next phase of the tournament, and they'll soon find who it is they’ll be facing.

Whether it’s the highlight cast of the Bulls or a particularly impressive star of the Southern Kings, all players mentioned here will be worth keeping an eye on in hopes of some dazzling displays.

Jean de Villiers, Stormers

Having missed the last few weeks of the season through a sternum injury, Jean de Villiers will look to round the Stormers’ season off with a bang as he makes his return in the season’s final fixture.

The former Munster centre hasn’t been missed all too sorely of late as Allister Coetzee’s side have stretched their unbeaten run to four matches, even in his absence.

However, with several weeks' recuperation under his belt, de Villiers should now feel ready to make further impact for his side in an attempt to dent the season of the Bulls, currently residing at the top of the Super 15 table.

The Stormers are now incapable of making their way to the final thanks to some unsavoury results in Round 19, but they will have plenty of pride to protect against one of the league’s giants.

In terms of morale, the Stormers will be nowhere but sky-high upon seeing the return of their captain to the middle of the fore, perhaps gifting them that extra confidence needed to go and cause an upset this weekend.

Playing in the 12 spot, de Villiers is likely to be the key to unlocking that strong Bulls backline, while anyone familiar with the 32-year-old will know just how likely he is to make his own individual flashes of brilliance, too.

Christian Leali’ifano, Brumbies

With the British and Irish Lions test series now done and dusted, Australian sides are breathing a collective sigh of relief upon the return of their international stars.

The Brumbies benefit as much as any other side in that sense, with coach Jake White naming seven Australian internationals in his 22-man squad for this weekend’s trip to Perth.

Of those seven, Christian Leali’ifano was as involved as any other in the three-test series against Warren Gatland’s Lions, giving the Aussies a particularly strong boost in the second of those games, which Australia just about edged.

Coming back into the Brumbies centres, the 25-year-old will now seek to light matters up just as he did on the international stage several weeks ago, this time in hopes of claiming second place for his franchise.

Although the Western Force are simmering around the bottom of the Super 15 table, their defence is actually one of their better aspects. It’s simply a lack of scoring that has prevented the side from succeeding of late.

As a result, it’ll be Leali’ifano’s responsibility to see to it that their defence is broken down this weekend, although the No. 12 has shown his powers from the tee on the Lions tour, should it come down to a kicking game.

Piri Weepu, Blues

Considering the 17-point gap that currently separates the two Super 15 sides, the ninth-placed Blues may not pose much of a threat to the second-spot Chiefs heading into this weekend’s encounters.

However, if Sir John Kirwan’s men were to have any chance of causing an upset, those chances are definitely buoyed by the return of Piri Weepu, once again at full health following a rib injury.

Without Weepu, the Blues have lost their last three matches, although that record stretches to five including games that Weepu has featured in also.

Having gone off the boil for parts of his campaign, the halfback’s return undoubtedly gives a certain dimension of added class to the Bulls’ fore.

The New Zealand international prefers to play quick ball, and for long phases of play at that. To add that he’s a superb kicking talent only adds to Weepu’s resume as a supremely valuable member of the squad, and his involvement will be critical if any upset is to be had over the Chiefs.