Everything to play for and to the victor the spoils as the Sharks prepare to topple the Blues of Auckland to earn a home Super 14 rugby final in their tough-as-nails semifinal at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon.
As a consequence, rugby hype is at its utmost frenzy as 52 000 spectators are set to fill the stadium to its rafters and above if possible to help roar their team home in what most expect to be a ”torrid forward battle”, which will be the key behind success or failure.
The goings on in the scrums, with two superb front rows backed by strong locks and more than capable loose forwards, will be evenly matched as can be and much will depend on which pack can intimidate the other.
Referee Stuart Dickerson, of Australia, is a man who stands no nonsense. So the reportedly off-the-ball niggles and man-to-man confrontations in their round-robin encounter (won by the Sharks) in Albany are likely to be closely watched for rules infringements.
The line-outs, which have been a weakness for the Sharks in some games this season, are crucial for them, especially if mistakes are made because the lightning-fast Blues backs will be ready to pounce and capitalise at the drop of a hat.
Needless to say, the Blues will miss the skills of the injured playmaker Luke McAllister and the Sharks have still to decide on the fitness of injured prop Deon Carstens.
Blues coach David Nucifora is confident that they can halt the Sharks’ aspirations of becoming the 2007 Super 14 champions. He believes that the dry and settled weather conditions will suit the Blues down to the ground and that should make for a pretty open and attractive game.
He is fully conscious of the fact that given the slightest opportunity, the Sharks can switch their tactics to an open running game with the likes of Francois Steyn, leading try scorer JP Pietersen, Wayne Murray and Bradley Barritt making a dangerous midfield. Not forgetting of course scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, who is fast developing into one of the best in world rugby.
While conceding that the Sharks will start as favourites for a number of reasons, he remained cautiously optimistic that the Albany result could be overturned, even allowing for the poor run of the New Zealand teams in this year’s clashes in the Super 14.
Nucifora said: ”It all boils down to who is best prepared on the day.
”I think that certainly the expectations are with the Sharks for this game and that is fair enough as they have been consistent all year and we know we have a great battle on our hands in the semi-final.”
From the Sharks camp, coach Dick Muir said: ”The tournament has been taxing, a lot of guys are sore, but we will be up for it.
”We have similar styles — they are a very physical side as well and can move the ball around. The opportunity to play in a semifinal is a great honour for both sides; it’s going to be about opportunities and converting them, and most certainly it will be a spectacle for the supporters.”
Sold-out clash
Meanwhile, history will be of no consequence when the Bulls meet the Crusaders in the second semifinal of the Super 14 at Loftus on Saturday.
The Crusaders come to Loftus Versfeld with a bucket full of accolades and a healthy string of Super titles behind them, while the Bulls have nothing to show for their years of toiling in the competition.
Somewhere deep in the minds of the Crusaders, who have a horde of All Blacks, this will be the game where they draw on the experiences of the past decade, where they have featured in eight semifinals and won all.
This stage won’t be new to the men from New Zealand, compared with the Bulls who are playing in only their third semifinal clash, having won none so far.
What will be new, though, to this crop of Crusaders players will be an away semifinal. The last time they played away from their intimidating Jade Stadium was their win over the Queensland Reds in 1999.
The Bulls have nothing much to boast about, but have a young team that is littered with Springboks and heart.
They have become a cohesive unit and on Saturday might just provide the fight they need to master their finest hour yet in Super 14 rugby.
The overall record weighs heavily towards the Crusaders, who have had the better of the Bulls on nine occasions, compared with the Bulls four wins.
However, it is the daunting Loftus that may turn things for the Bulls.
Both teams have recorded three wins apiece at the Loftus cauldron but none of those games were sold-out affairs.
This one is and the Crusaders will know that the Loftus crowd is as good as an extra Bulls player on the field.
Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer understands that his team will have to play until the final whistle.
”We know what we have to do,” said Meyer. ”We must concentrate and focus until the last second. They are a great side but we, too, have the players to match them.
”What has happened in the past is irrelevant and it is all about these two matches.”
Robbie Deans, the Crusaders coach, was wary of underestimating the resurgent Bulls.
”This is the business-end of the competition,” said Deans. ”What happened before this does not matter. The competition starts here. The Bulls are a dangerous outfit, especially at home, but we are also looking forward to playing at Loftus.” — Sapa