The Super Rugby semi-finals see the top two sides from the regular season log – the Hurricanes and the Waratahs – take on last weekend’s winners of the qualifiers – the Brumbies and the Highlanders. Will the freshness granted to the former two after a week off be beneficial, or will the latter two take the momentum from last weekend into the games?
HURRICANES vs BRUMBIES
The Hurricanes finished the season as comfortably the best side in the league, thirteen points clear of the Highlanders (who had the second highest points total, despite finishing fourth) and a whopping 19 points better off than their opponents this weekend, the Brumbies. Their backs have been in scintillating form, and in general the side leads the stats for tries scored, defenders beaten, clean breaks and metres made. In short, the Hurricanes have swept to the top of the league by playing attractive, attacking rugby, that has simply been too good for most sides.
The Brumbies will have bad memories of a year ago, when they were knocked out ruthlessly by the Waratahs at this stage. Indeed their knockout hoodoo goes back another year to 2013, when they made the final only to be denied by the Chiefs. They can take confidence, however, from their excellent run of recent form against the Hurricanes, having beaten the men from Wellington on the last four occasions, including twice at Westpac Stadium – although they have not faced the new, markedly-improved version this season.
Key battle: Ardie Savea vs David Pocock. There are mouthwatering battles all across the pitch this weekend, but none more so than at openside flanker where two of the form players in the competition go head to head. The younger Savea brother has cruelly been overlooked for the New Zealand World Cup squad, despite being probably the most lethal broken field forward in the competition. Pocock does not possess the same pace or attacking prowess of his opposite man, but his ability at the breakdown is second to none, his limpet-like style making him immeasurably difficult to remove once he gets over the ball.
Prediction: The Brumbies triumphed over the Stormers last weekend by chancing their arm and throwing the ball around, resulting in a game that the South Africans could not match. After much travelling in the week, they will likely have to change their game-plan for this game, lest they play right to the Hurricanes’ strength. If they can target the home side’s lineout, which has creaked at times, and get their insatiable driving maul going, they have a chance of winning, but to be honest it’s almost impossible to look past the irresistibly good Canes at the moment. Hurricanes by 9.
WARATAHS Vs HIGHLANDERS
The Waratahs come into this game in the bizarre position of having finished above their opponents in the league despite accumulating fewer points – as obvious a sign that the system is flawed as any. They finished the season strongly, with four wins in their last five games, to surge to the top of the Australian conference, with one of the most settled line-ups around. They are, of course, the reigning champions and despite not playing quite as convincingly as last season, they have that name to live up to and could become the first ever Australian side to successfully defend their title.
The Highlanders, like the Hurricanes, have thrilled fans across the competition with their attractive brand of rugby and that was never more obvious than in their semi-final win over the Chiefs, when Aaron Smith put on a scrum-half masterclass to create two scintillating tries for arch-poacher Waisake Naholo. They are in the semi-finals for the first time since 2002, a fact that will surely test their nerve, and are aiming to reach only their second ever final – their first coming way back in 1999. They hand a start to rookie back-rower James Lentjes in the injury-enforced absence of Dan Pryor.
Key battle: Israel Folau vs Ben Smith. Ok, so it’s debatable if the battle of the fullbacks will really define the match result – that’s far more likely to come in the forwards or from the playmakers- but this head to head is too mouthwatering to gloss over. Folau and Smith are two of the most potent counter-attackers in world rugby, and if the former hasn’t enjoyed quite as successful a season as last year the latter has been an inspiration to his much-improved franchise. You can bet your house that any loose kicking will be punished.
Prediction: These sides are about as closely matched as they come – they both won 11 of 16 games in the regular season, with a single point separating them in the end. Perhaps, then, it will come down to something like home advantage to separate them – indeed, the home side has won this fixture on its last six instances. The Highlanders have not won in Sydney since 2007; and yet, you feel that if they stick to their guns and aren’t overawed by the occasion, they simply have so much firepower that they could upset the reigning champions here. It’s the result the rugby romantics amongst us are hoping for. Highlanders by 3.
By Jamie Hosie
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Yes the Waratahs v Highlanders will be close however I think maybe home advantage may just get tahs over the line. The Hurricanes will easily beat the Brumbies.
Agree the “Hurricanes” look a certainty but the other game will be tough to predict. I like the “Highlanders” after that magnificent game against the “Chiefs”, both games a going to be crackers!!