The Auckland Blues are steeled to produce a huge performance in their crunch Super 15 game against the Otago Highlanders this weekend, motivated by news that long-serving lock Kurtis Haiu has cancer.
Blues coach Pat Lam described the shock news as “an emotional time for the team”, and captain Keven Mealamu said they would be “playing our hearts out” for the veteran of 53 Super rugby appearances.
The Blues’ clash with the Highlanders in New Zealand is one of two crucial local derbies this weekend, along with the Stormers’ battle against the Sharks for supremacy in the South African conference.
Top Australian side Queensland Reds, co-leaders of the Super 15 with the Blues on 39 points and two points clear of the Stormers in third place, have a less demanding challenge against the Wellington Hurricanes.
But with a five-point spread between first and sixth overall, the Blues and Stormers will be scrapping for wins to maintain their positions in the top three.
The Highlanders and Sharks — fifth and sixth overall — need wins to keep their distance from the Waratahs, who are only six points from a play-off position.
The Blues head south on Friday to Carisbrook stadium, or the “House of Pain”, home to the Highlanders who have proved to be the surprise package of the championship this year.
Both sides have won seven of nine games, but a draw for the Blues and a lack of bonus points for the Highlanders see them separated on the ladder by the Canterbury Crusaders.
Mealamu said the Blues have no shortage of motivation after the news about Haiu, who revealed early this week he had been diagnosed with a tumour in one of his ribs.
“It’s tough because I don’t know if we’ll get to see him again this year or if we’ll get to see him in any team again,” Mealamu said. “Most definitely we’ll be playing our hearts out for him this weekend.”
The rising Highlanders have made five changes to the side that upset the Crusaders a week ago, including the return of All Blacks Jimmy Cowan and Adam Thomson, although lock Tom Donnelly is being rested rather than face Blues rivals Ali Williams and Anthony Boric.
Talented back three
Meanwhile, the Stormers’ match-up against the Sharks in Cape Town is being billed as having all the atmosphere of Test rugby as South Africa’s top two sides front each other.
The Stormers return after a week’s rest, and with Bryan Habana running freely they can team the talented back three of Gio Aplon, Conrad Jantjes and Habana for the first time this year, delighting coach Allister Coetzee.
“It is going to be a tough game under almost Test-match conditions, so experience will be vital for us,” he said.
The Sharks, who comfortably beat the Hurricanes last week and are only three points adrift of the Stormers, are in the rare position of having an almost fully fit squad to call on, with only Jacques Botes on the injured list.
The Reds, with lock Van Humphries and halfback Will Genia in line to play their 50th games, will be looking to extend their franchise record of consecutive wins to eight when they play the Hurricanes.
The ‘Canes have struggled this year with only two wins from nine outings and lie 13th in the competition with no chance of making the play-offs.
The Crusaders have drafted former captain Reuben Thorne to bolster their injury-hit ranks as they bid to recharge their season — disrupted by earthquake damage to their stadium in February — against the Western Force.
Richie McCaw, who was sidelined for last week’s loss to the Highlanders, has been named to lead the team in Perth, while his Wallaby opposite, David Pocock, returns to the Force after being out with injury since round three.
Defending champions the Bulls, who are well off the pace this year, host fellow strugglers Waikato Chiefs in Pretoria, while the Cheetahs are at home to the ACT Brumbies and the Waratahs entertain the Melbourne Rebels. — AFP