ozbash
Referee
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Friday nite,
Crusaders V Hurricanes @ Lancaster Park ChCh
Saturday
Warratahs V Bulls @ Sydney
S12 Wrap: The Crusaders will host the Hurricanes in one Rebel Sport Super 12 semifinal and the Waratahs and Bulls meet in the other play-off in Sydney after a rollicking final round of action reshaped the top four.
By the time the dust settled the Bulls had charged past the Hurricanes to claim third position on the back of a record 75-14 thumping of the Stormers in Pretoria.
That earned them a trip to Sydney to face the Waratahs who surrendered top spot on Friday night when they couldn't secure a bonus point in beating the Blues 25-20.
The Waratahs and Bulls semifinal is likely to be played on Saturday night, allowing the Bulls as much time as possible to fly east from South Africa.
The Crusaders and Hurricanes should be a Friday night fixture and a repeat of their round-robin clash last Friday which the Crusaders comfortably won 40-20.
On a busy final round the Chiefs ruined the Highlanders' hopes of making the play-offs with a commanding 31-8 win in Hamilton.
The Brumbies kept their slim chances alive by crushing the Reds 38-21 in Brisbane. That left it all hanging on the match in Pretoria.
But the Bulls came out and trampled all over the Stormers to make a nonsense over any doubts about their validity for the play-offs.
They face a huge assignment in Sydney though while the Crusaders will be strongly favoured to make a seventh final.
They have never lost a semifinal and should be primed for their clash with the Hurricanes after their impressive win last Friday at Jade Stadium.
The Hurricanes will be boosted by the return of skipper Tana Umaga and will elevate Jerry Collins back to the starting line-up.
Both sides should be free of injuries. The Crusaders report that Casey Laulala's hamstring injury is responding to treatment and Richie McCaw's successful comeback from a head injury will put him in the frame for a starting jersey.
The final placings saw the New Zealand sides finish: Crusaders 1, Hurricanes 4, Chiefs 6, Blues 7, Highlanders 8.
The Bulls charged into the thick of the Rebel Sport Super 12 semifinals with a 75-14 humiliation of the Stormers in Pretoria.
The bonus point win lifted the Bulls to third on the table. They snuck past the Hurricanes on points difference.
The Bulls merely needed a point out of the match but they simply smashed the Stormers to earn a rare win over the local enemy.
Star wing Bryan Habana got two of the Bulls' nine tries in a stunning display of running rugby coming off the back of a hugely dominant forwards effort.
The Stormers had no answer to the Bulls who struck in the first few minutes through a solo effort from Habana and never looked back.
The Bulls led 30-7 at halftime to set up their first win over the Stormers in the Super 12.
The second spell became a festival as a sold out Loftus saluted their blue heroes with Morne Steyn finishing with 35 points from nine conversions, four penalties and a try.
The Bulls now face the Waratahs in Sydney while the other semifinal sees the Crusaders and Hurricanes meet in Christchurch.
Crusaders V Hurricanes @ Lancaster Park ChCh
Saturday
Warratahs V Bulls @ Sydney
S12 Wrap: The Crusaders will host the Hurricanes in one Rebel Sport Super 12 semifinal and the Waratahs and Bulls meet in the other play-off in Sydney after a rollicking final round of action reshaped the top four.
By the time the dust settled the Bulls had charged past the Hurricanes to claim third position on the back of a record 75-14 thumping of the Stormers in Pretoria.
That earned them a trip to Sydney to face the Waratahs who surrendered top spot on Friday night when they couldn't secure a bonus point in beating the Blues 25-20.
The Waratahs and Bulls semifinal is likely to be played on Saturday night, allowing the Bulls as much time as possible to fly east from South Africa.
The Crusaders and Hurricanes should be a Friday night fixture and a repeat of their round-robin clash last Friday which the Crusaders comfortably won 40-20.
On a busy final round the Chiefs ruined the Highlanders' hopes of making the play-offs with a commanding 31-8 win in Hamilton.
The Brumbies kept their slim chances alive by crushing the Reds 38-21 in Brisbane. That left it all hanging on the match in Pretoria.
But the Bulls came out and trampled all over the Stormers to make a nonsense over any doubts about their validity for the play-offs.
They face a huge assignment in Sydney though while the Crusaders will be strongly favoured to make a seventh final.
They have never lost a semifinal and should be primed for their clash with the Hurricanes after their impressive win last Friday at Jade Stadium.
The Hurricanes will be boosted by the return of skipper Tana Umaga and will elevate Jerry Collins back to the starting line-up.
Both sides should be free of injuries. The Crusaders report that Casey Laulala's hamstring injury is responding to treatment and Richie McCaw's successful comeback from a head injury will put him in the frame for a starting jersey.
The final placings saw the New Zealand sides finish: Crusaders 1, Hurricanes 4, Chiefs 6, Blues 7, Highlanders 8.
The Bulls charged into the thick of the Rebel Sport Super 12 semifinals with a 75-14 humiliation of the Stormers in Pretoria.
The bonus point win lifted the Bulls to third on the table. They snuck past the Hurricanes on points difference.
The Bulls merely needed a point out of the match but they simply smashed the Stormers to earn a rare win over the local enemy.
Star wing Bryan Habana got two of the Bulls' nine tries in a stunning display of running rugby coming off the back of a hugely dominant forwards effort.
The Stormers had no answer to the Bulls who struck in the first few minutes through a solo effort from Habana and never looked back.
The Bulls led 30-7 at halftime to set up their first win over the Stormers in the Super 12.
The second spell became a festival as a sold out Loftus saluted their blue heroes with Morne Steyn finishing with 35 points from nine conversions, four penalties and a try.
The Bulls now face the Waratahs in Sydney while the other semifinal sees the Crusaders and Hurricanes meet in Christchurch.
