Crunch time in the Super 14
With just four rounds of the Super 14 remaining, eight teams still have realistic hopes of making the semi-finals – leaving the contenders no room for error.
With just four rounds of the Super 14 remaining, eight teams still have realistic hopes of making the semi-finals – leaving the contenders no room for error.
As the southern hemisphere competition enters the final straight, many of the play-off hopefuls face each other in an intriguing race to the top of the table. Only the very bravest of pundits would dare predict its outcome.
One of the most significant of these titanic struggles takes place on Saturday when the Sharks meet the Waratahs in Sydney. A win for the Durban based side would do the hopes of their countrymen the Stormers the world of good.
A loss however will leave the Sharks threatened by the very same Stormers- a delicate position to be in if you consider that last year's table toppers must travel to New Zealand to face the Crusaders a week later.
It's crunch time for the Sharks, who are as likely to finish top of the table as they are to not qualify for the semis at all. Their final game in Durban against the in-form Chiefs – the only team to have gotten the better of the Crusaders so far – could be crucial for all involved.
Dick Muir's men are already feeling the pressure that comes with not scoring enough bonus points, while the Crusaders could virtually assure themselves of a home semi-final by beating the Blues on Friday.
The Waratahs' visit to Newlands in three weeks time could be as crucial a game as the Sharks' visit to Aussie Stadium this weekend. But before the 'Tahs head to Cape Town they must stop over in Pretoria to meet the joker in this whole equation.
After a disastrous season, the Bulls have no hope of making the play-offs but they might well throw a spanner into the works of Australian rugby's ambitions as both the Waratahs and the Brumbies must face the defending champions at Loftus Versfeld.
Last weekend's 30-point drubbing of the Highlanders is an ominous sign for anyone heading to the South African capital.
Apart from the Crusaders, three other New Zealand teams – the Chiefs, the Hurricanes and the Blues – are vying for a last-four spot and are clumped together in fifth, sixth and seventh places respectively.
Like the Crusaders, the Hurricanes still have to face the Blues, who will be hoping that last week's bye will help them rekindle the awesome form they displayed in the first few weeks of the competition.
As for the Chiefs, they will expect to beat the Reds this weekend and climb back into the top four. They too will be ruing their missed opportunities to score bonus points.
On paper, the Stormers seem to have one of the easiest run-ins. At home in their next three matches before making the two-hour flight to Johannesburg for their final game, Rassie Erasmus's team have the advantage of facing their closest rivals, the Waratahs, in their own back yard.
As usual, the number of possible permutations in the final weeks boggles the mind, which makes the Super 14 the super competition it is. The teams involved can be sure that any error at this stage will be a costly one.
The pressure is on – may the best team win.
The remaining fixtures for the semi-final contenders:
Crusaders: Blues (h), Sharks (h), Reds (a), Highlanders (a).
Sharks: Waratahs (a), Crusaders (a), Cheetahs (h), Chiefs (h).
Waratahs: Sharks (h), Bulls (a), Stormers (a), Reds (a).
Stormers: Highlanders (h), Brumbies (h), Waratahs (h), Lions (a).
Chiefs: Reds (h), Western Force (a), Lions (a), Sharks (a).
Hurricanes: Cheetahs (a), Lions (h), Western Force (h), Blues (a).
Blues: Crusaders (a), Reds (a), Highlanders (a), Hurricanes (h)
Brumbies: Lions (h), Stormers (a), Bulls (a), Force (a)