The Auckland Blues have spiced up their do-or-die joust with the NSW Waratahs for a Super 12 rugby play-off spot with claims that the series front-runners have had a charmed run with referees at the breakdown.
The Blues, three points outside the top four in sixth place and needing maximum points from their last match in Sydney on Friday to play in the semifinals, have been accused by the Waratahs of trying to influence the referee.
Auckland are one of three teams vying for the last playoff slot with South Africa’s Northern Bulls occupying fourth spot and are favoured with a home match against the Western Stormers on Saturday.
New Zealand’s Otago Highlanders are still in the mix, but they have lost their last two games at home and must come away with maximum points against the mid-table Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday and hope other results go their way.
Blues assistant coach David Nucifora called on match officials to crack down on the Waratah forwards in the tackle contest, but NSW coach Ewen McKenzie countered by saying the former ACT Brumbies coach was trying to influence South African match referee Tappe Henning.
”This concept about slowing the ball, we certainly get out there and try and steal the ball and we don’t apologise for that,” McKenzie retorted.
The Waratahs, along with the Canterbury Crusaders are the favourites to take out this season’s southern hemisphere provincial tournament, need a winning bonus point to clinch top spot heading into the May 20-21 semifinals.
The Crusaders can still take pole position if they win well against the third-placed Wellington Hurricanes in Christchurch on Friday, with the Hurricanes taking no risks and resting key players ahead of the playoffs.
The Waratahs have finished the season strongly with an impressive win over the Highlanders in Dunedin and chalking up their first-ever Super 12 success over Queensland Reds in Sydney last weekend.
The Blues have performed well in Sydney with three wins in four visits, but are beset with injuries and will be without flyhalf Tasea Lavea, All Black fullback Mils Muliaina and utility back Sam Tuitupou.
Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper has left three of his senior players out of the starting 15 against the Crusaders.
Cooper has given All Black skipper Tana Umaga (injured thumb) the night off, and has relegated two more of his leaders, flanker Jerry Collins and hooker Andrew Hore, to the reserves bench.
Crusaders coach Robbie Deans has included All Black flanker Richie McCaw on the bench, but number eight Sam Broomhall and flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens will start, while loosehead prop Dave Hewett has been left out of the squad.
”There’s still a lot at stake for both teams in terms of maintaining continuity of performance,” Deans said.
”For us, if we can finish top of the table and win our semifinal, that could be of some value. There’s enough there to play for.”
The Bulls have come home with a wet sail winning their last five games, but have never beaten the Stormers in nine years of Super 12 and a stomach virus outbreak won’t help their chances.
Springbok lock Bakkies Botha has become the seventh victim of the virus.
While the Bulls medical staff won’t yet term it a crisis, not having more than one-third of the starting line-up available for the practice session ahead of such a major game must be of concern.
The Highlanders have won three of their four matches away to the Chiefs, but the momentum may have shifted against them after losing home games against the Waratahs and Crusaders to drop out of the top four.
The Chiefs killed off the ACT Brumbies’ finals’ hopes with a draw in Canberra last weekend and coach Ian Foster is upbeat about his team’s chances against Otago.
”We see this as a chance to really nail our last game of Super 12 and finish strong,” he said.
”We’re just really hungry to carry on playing at the level we’re currently playing.”
Queensland and ACT Brumbies have suffered injury setbacks as they try to end dismal seasons on a high.
Brumbies playmaker Stephen Larkham has been ruled out of the Brisbane game on Saturday, while Reds fullback Chris Latham is still not over the effects of his last-start concussion.
In the remaining match in Bloemfontein on Saturday, the Golden Cats take on the Coastal Sharks in the battle for the Super 12 wooden spoon. – Sapa-AFP