The Queensland Reds take on the most successful Super Rugby side, the Crusaders, at their home in chilly Christchurch tomorrow (July 19) in the first game of the finals play-offs.
Also in the weekend’s finals, on Sunday, the Cheetahs play the Brumbies at their chilly Canberra home.
The winners will go through to next week’s semi-finals against the Chiefs and the Bulls, who both have byes after finishing first and second respectively.
The Reds will be bolstered by the return from injury of captain James Horwill and star half-back Will Genia. Both play for Australia—and Genia is possibly the best half-back in the world.
For the Crusaders, the All Black legend Ritchie McCaw, 32, returns to the bench, ending a post-world-cup, six-month sabbatical.
McCaw played club rugby last week.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said the rugby icon was “really keen to be involved”.
He said McCaw was kept out of the starting line-up for several reasons, including “loyalty to the guys who have done the job”.
“You have to weigh things up and make sure you do right by the team,” Blackadder said. “You can’t underestimate the work they’ve put in to give us the opportunity.”
In the end, the team focus took precedence. “These decisions are never going to be easy,” Blackadder said.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie is confident, despite not having beaten the Crusaders at home since 1999, though they came close last year without star flyhalf Quade Cooper, losing 11-15.
“There’s a good rivalry and both teams bring the best out of the other,” McKenzie said.
“We’ve done pretty well against the Crusaders—there’s plenty of reasons for confidence.”
The game is imbued with international implications. McKenzie was made the Australian coach last week following the sacking of Robbie Deans, after the 2-1 loss by the Wallabies to the British and Irish Lions.
The change of national coach was welcomed in Australia. But Australian confidence was given a small shake by last Saturday’s grudge match between the Reds and the Sydney Waratahs.
The long-standing, inter-state rivalry is a highlight of the Australian rugby calendar—and this game had the new Wallaby coach up against Michael Cheika, the Waratahs coach.
Cheika was appointed this year, following season-after-season of poor Waratah performances. While he hasn’t worked wonders, his tough, antagonistic approach has won many fans.
But the mistake-ridden game did neither side credit, even though the Reds won 14-12. In defence of both sides, they were returning from a month-long break for the Lions tour.
Interestingly, two of the players from the Wallabies, Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor, have been sacked by their Super side, the Melbourne Rebels.
It is understood that Beale will be picked up by the Waratahs. O’Connor is negotiating with the Western Force.
Cooper was linked with these two bad boys as one of the three Amigos. However, Cooper seems more serious this year. He was controversially dropped from the national side by former coach Deans – but has maintained a low, off-field profile.
Cooper is expected to be recalled to the national side, following the selection of McKenzie as coach.
Cooper will be tested in Christchurch. It is the hometown of Deans, who still has many supporters there, and Cooper comes up against McCaw. Their on-field clashes turned the New Zealand public against the NZ-born Cooper during the 2011 world cup.
Cooper said he received a hostile reception everywhere he played.
“I expect that every week, nothing changes,” he said. “That’s part and parcel of rivalries in rugby and I have got a great rivalry with the Crusaders as a team.
“I’m sure that rivalry will add to the occasion.”
The Brumbies are expecting Canberra Stadium to sell out for Sunday’s game against the Cheetahs.
When Jake White took over the Brumbies two years ago, they had finished 13th. This year they topped the Australian conference.
White said the play-off was the biggest game in Canberra in a decade.
Last week the Brumbies lost unexpectedly to the Western Force.
The Cheetahs beat the Auckland Blues 34-13 to force their way into the play-offs, by knocking out the three-time champion Blues, and two top South African sides, the Stormers and the Sharks.
In South Africa, support for the Cheetahs is not matched by the bookmakers, with one company listing them as 25/1 outsiders to win the competition.
Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss said his side was confident.
“Our mindset is definitely the difference between this year and last year,” Strauss said. “This year we really have the belief that we can make it.”
Blues captain Ali Williams praised the Cheetahs after the game.
“These boys play like they are possessed and they really do deserve a place in the play-offs,” Williams said. “To be honest, today they simply outclassed us.”
Form says the two home sides will win, that is the Crusaders and the Brumbies.
Peter Lalanabaravi is a rugby writer with over 30 years experience.
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