By Brent Craig and Scott Rae
It’s Finals Footy time, with Conference winners the Lions, Crusaders, Stormers and Brumbies hosting wildcard qualifiers the Sharks, Highlanders, Chiefs and Hurricanes. These are the same eight teams that qualified last year.
SANZAAR have tweaked the semi final draw so that the winners of the first and fourth, and second and third, Quarter finals will meet in the Semi finals with the higher-seeded teams hosting. This means, for example, that should the eighth-ranked Sharks cause a boil over they’ll have just two possible Semi final destinations rather than four under the previous, highest- versus lowest-seeded winner format.
The Quarter finals are being played out of sequence but with the new Semi final format it’s easier to explain the permutations if we consider the Quarter finals in terms of the match pairings.
QUARTER FINAL 1: LIONS v SHARKS JOHANNESBURG – SATURDAY AT 22:30 (AEST)
The Lions have defeated the Sharks in all four matches over the last two seasons, including last weekend. The Lions had 14 wins and 1 loss (v Jaguares in Buenos Aires) and the Sharks nine wins, a draw and five losses in 2017.
The Lions have scored 81 tries with 217 clean breaks during the season compared to the Sharks’ 38 tries and 125 clean breaks.
The Lions’ attack is sparked by the creative genius and the competition’s leading point scorer Elton Jantjies, who creates for the likes of Courtnall Skosan, Lionel Mapoe and Andries Coetzee. Jaco Kriel and Franco Mostert in the forwards are equally as important to the Lions.
Curwin Bosch, the competition’s second leading point scorer, goes head to head with Jantjies. Cobus Reinach and Kobus van Wyk are other backs to watch. Meanwhile, keep an eye on tackling machines Phillip Van Der Walt and Jean-Luc du Preez and for Stephan Lewies at line out time. The suspended Ruan Botha will be missed.
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Kwagga Smith, 6 Jaco Kriel (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen Substitutes: 16. Akker vd Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza
Shark: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 S’busiso Nkosi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt (captain), 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Thomas du Toit Substitutes: 16. Franco Marais/Stephan Coetzee, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Tera Mtembu, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Garth April, 23 Jeremy Ward
QUARTER FINAL 4: BRUMBIES v HURRICANES CANBERRA – FRIDAY AT 19:35
Six wins were enough to secure the Brumbies the Australian Conference for the second year running. The Hurricanes meanwhile won 12 regular season matches, and last week ended the Crusaders record 14-match winning streak despite trailing early.
The sides met in Round 9 with the Hurricanes winning 56-21.
Full match preview: https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/preview-brumbies-v-hurricanes-quater-final/
Brumbies: 15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani,12 Andrew Smith,11 James Dargaville, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Jordan Smiler, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter (captain), 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Mann-Rea, 1 Scott Sio. Substitutes: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 19 Blake Enever, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 23 Christian Lealiifano
Hurricanes: 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Jordie Barrett, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara (captain), 8 Brad Shields, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Mark Abbott,3 Jeff To’omaga-Allen, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Ben May. Substitutes: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Loni Uhila, 19 Reed Prinsep, 20 Callum Gibbins, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Otere Black, 23 Cory Jane
Possible Semi Finals:
Lions v Brumbies – Johannesburg
Lions v Hurricanes- Johannesburg
Brumbies v Sharks – Canberra
Hurricanes v Sharks – Wellington
QUARTER FINAL 2: CRUSADERS v HIGHLANDERS CHRISTCHURCH – SATURDAY AT 17:35
Last week’s final round loss to the Hurricanes denied the Crusaders top seeding, and ended their record 14-match winning streak. Last week they rested their all-All Black front row, and benched captain Sam Whitelock, but all of them plus key midfielder Ryan Crotty will be back this week.
The Highlanders also rested players last week but both fullback Ben and halfback Aaron Smith return to the XV this week. Loose forward Elliott Dixon and lock Alex Ainley are back from injury and in the 23. After losing three of their opening four matches, the Highlanders have won 10 of their last 11, and beaten the British & Irish Lions as well.
The teams have already met twice this season with the Crusaders winning both by three points, but needing a 78th-minute try in Round 2, and an 83rd-minute drop goal in Round 15 to do so. Another close encounter looks certain with the projected bad weather perhaps tipping the balance slightly in the hosts favour.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Rob Thompson, 11 Richard Buckman, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 James Lentjes, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Jackson Hemopo, 3 Suate Tokolahi, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown. Substitutes: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Siosiua Halanukonuka, 19 Alex Ainley, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Elliot Dixon, 22 Kayne Hammington, 23 Marty Banks.
Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Seta Tamanivalu, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock (captain), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody. Substitutes: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Mike Alaalatoa, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 George Bridge.
QUARTER FINAL 3: STORMERS v CHIEFS CAPE TOWN – SUNDAY AT 01:00
The Stormers clinched the home final by topping the Africa 1 conference with 10 wins and 5 losses whilst the Chiefs finished third in the NZ conference with 12 wins, a draw and 2 losses. The Stormers won against the Chiefs 34-26 at home in April. However, at the quarter final stage last year the Chiefs had a thumping 60 – 21 win in Cape Town.
The Stormers have a dismal finals record, only winning 1 match in 8 attempts. To make matters worse 5 of those losses have been in Cape Town.
The Stormers have try scoring ability through the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Dillyn Leyds. Pieter-Steph du Toit will be a key at line out time, whilst Nizaam Carr will be important in defence.
The Chiefs’ backline includes the likes of Damien McKenzie, James Lowe (the two players with the most metres for the season) and Aaron Cruden. Whilst the forward pack includes plenty of experience in Liam Messam and Michael Leitch.
Stormers: 15 SP Marais, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg. Substitutes: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Seabelo Senatla, 23 Juan de Jongh
Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Solomon Alaimalo, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Stephen Donald, 11 James Lowe 10 Aaron Cruden (co-Captain), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Michael Leitch, 7 Sam Cane (co-Captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Mitchell Brown. 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Kane Hames. Substitutes: 16 Liam Polwart, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Atu Moli, 19 Dominic Bird, 20 Lachlan Boshier, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Tim Nanai-Williams, 23 Shaun Stevenson
Possible Semi Finals:
Crusaders v Stormers – Christchurch
Crusaders v Chiefs – Christchurch
Stormers v Highlanders – Cape Town
Chiefs v Highlanders – Hamilton
