S18 PREVIEW: ROUND TWO, PART ONE
Last week it was South Africa's big north-south derby and this week New Zealand will put on display their biggest domestic rivalry – the Crusaders versus the Blues.
It dates back many decades, to the days of Auckland versus Canterbury – in the NPC and even before that, the Ranfurly Shield challenge.
Between them they have also won 10 of the 20 Super Rugby titles on offer since the game turned professional in 1996.
The Blues' slump in recent years – they have not finished inside the top 10 since 2011, when they were beaten semifinalists – diluted the rivalry a bit.
However, the Blues' impressive start to the season under new coach Tana Umaga will ensure the intense rivalry is back at the top of the pops.
And from there we hop across the Tasman Sea to Canberra for Australia's biggest rivalry – the Brumbies against the Waratahs.
It used to be the Reds versus the Tahs, but the slump of the Brisbane-based franchise – the Reds have finished 13th in the last two 15-team Super Rugby seasons – means the Brumbies v Tahs is now the big deal Down Under.
We look at the Friday, March 4, matches below!
(AMI Stadium, Christchurch – Kick-off: 19,35; 06.35 GMT)
You can't ask for a better start to the weekend's action – two traditional rivals with plenty at stake.
The Blues will be determined to continue the impressive start they made under new coach Tana Umaga.
The resolve and change in attitude – from recent Blues campaigns – suggest the decision to discard John Kirwan had been the correct one.
However, they will face a Crusaders team determined to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to the Chiefs last week – when two late tries managed to snatch victory from the Christchurch-based outfit.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder, despite the opening round stumble, believes his team has the makings of a team that can contest the play-offs.
Blackadder said the frustrating nature of last week's defeat prompted him to keep the same combination.
"We know that those players will only be more determined this week to take another step up," he told stuff.co.nz.
"So we want to give them the opportunity to go out there and show what they are really capable of."
He said the physicality and intent that the team showed for most of the game was fantastic.
"We felt that we were dominant in many respects for a good portion of that game," the coach added.
"That is what makes the loss even more frustrating for the players though."
The Blues are well aware of the challenge awaiting them, having to travel south and cross the Cook Strait.
"They've got a formidable forward pack and we've got a lot of respect for them, but we've got a pack of our own that's going pretty good as well," Blues No.8 Steven Luatua told stuff.co.nz.
Luatua, Preparing for his 50th match, said the Blues have a lot of confidence after last week's win.
"Against the Crusaders, if you give away too much of a lead, they're going to put you in a choke hold and it's hard to get out of," the All Black said.
"It's been a couple of years since we've won down there so that's definitely in the back of our minds.
"It's a huge challenge for us and we're excited by that."
Recent results:
2015: Crusaders won 34-11, Auckland
2015: Crusaders won 29-15, Christchurch
2014: Crusaders won 21-13, Christchurch
2014: Blues won 35-24, Auckland
2013: Crusaders won 23-3, Christchurch
2013: Blues won 34-15, Auckland
Prediction: The Crusaders have won each of their last three matches against the Blues, conceding 15 points or fewer in each of those three
games. The Crusaders opening round loss to the Chiefs means they will be aiming to avoid consecutive Super Rugby losses for the first time since Round 10, 2015. The Blues won a home Round 1 fixture for the first time since 2011 and will now be hunting for back-to-back victories in Super Rugby for the first time since Round 17, 2014. The Crusaders boasted a perfect ruck success rate last time out, winning all 40 in their match against the Chiefs in Round 1. They were the only team to maintain a 100 percent ruck success on their own ball. The Blues won 14 line-outs in the opening round, while only the fourth most of any team it was the most of any team who didn't lose a line-out in Round One. Tough to call so early in the season, but we will go with a home town win – the Crusaders to bounce back and sneak a late winner, by five points.
Teams:
Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Jone Macilai, 13 Sean Wainui, 12 Kieron Fonotia, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Samuel Whitelock (captain), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Mike Alaalatoa, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Leon Fukofuka, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Johnny McNicholl.
Blues: 15 Matt Duffie, 14 Melani Nanai, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 George Moala, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Matt McGahan, 9 Billy Guyton, 8 Steven Luatua, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Jerome Kaino (captain), 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 Quentin MacDonald, 1 Ofa Tu'ungafasi.
Replacements: 16 James Parsons, 17 Sam Prattley, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Akira Ioane, 20 Kara Pryor, 21 Bryn Hall, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Male Sa'u.
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
(GIO Stadium, Canberra – Kick-off: 19.45; 08.45 GMT)
As if Australia's two top teams going head-to-head is not enough, you have the delectable showdown between two of the game's best openside flanks.
In the absence of the now retired Richie McCaw, Michael Hooper (Waratahs) and David Pocock (Brumbies) will both look to lay claim to the title of breakdown master – not that they were ever far off.
The Wallaby teammates, Hooper and Pocock, will play crucial roles in what could be one of the more intriguing encounters of Round Two.
Their battle will set the tone for what is expected to be a real arm-wrestle between two teams with ambitions of going all the way to the Final.
Last week Pocock found himself on the wrong end of some refereeing calls, but the Brumbies have already made adjustments to their game.
Brumbies playmaker Matt Toomua confirmed that the breakdown was a focal pint this week.
Toomua – like Pocock – was yellow-carded in the second half of their 52-10 win over the Hurricanes last week for repeated breakdown offences.
He said they had reviewed the tape and found areas to improve.
"At the time we thought: 'We've never done anything wrong on the field'," he said in an interview on rugby.com.au.
"However, we looked back at the tape and to be fair Leesy [referee Andrew Lees] was pretty spot on with a few of the calls,” Toomua said.
"We don't want to take the pressure away, we want to make it a contest – but we have to do it legally."
The Brumbies, while looking to continue with the expansive element of their game, definitely have a Plan B in the bank.
"A lot of it [tries] was from set piece, not much phase play so hopefully we can get that this week," the playmaker said.
"However, if it is scrums and mauls that win the game so be it," he said.
Recent results:
2015: Waratahs won 13-10, Canberra
2015: Waratahs won 28-13, Sydney
2014: Waratahs won 26-8, Sydney (semifinal)
2014: Waratahs won 39-8, Sydney
2014: Brumbies won 28-23, Canberra
2013: Waratahs 28-22, Sydney
2013: Brumbies won 35-6, Canberra
Prediction: The Waratahs have won each of their last four matches against the Brumbies, keeping them to fewer than 14 points on each occasion. The Brumbies became the first Australian team other than the Waratahs to score 50 or more points in a Super Rugby match since 2011 when the Reds beat the Rebels 53-3; Waratahs have managed the feat twice since then. The Brumbies have won only one of their last five games immediately following a match in which they scored 50+ points. The Waratahs have won 11 of their last 13 games against Australian opposition with both defeats in that run coming against the Force. The last time the Waratahs lost to an Australian team that wasn't the Western Force was in Round Five, 2014 against the Brumbies (lost 23-28). The Waratahs scored three of their four tries in the opening half of their match against the Reds in the last round, only the Cheetahs (four) managed to score more in the opening 40 minutes. These derbies are always tough to predict early in the season, but the Brumbies certainly have the better form and they are at home, so they should be able to edge the Waratahs – and it will be by single digits.
Teams:
Brumbies: 15 Aidan Toua, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano (co-captain), 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Blake Enever, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (co-captain), 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Leslie Leulua'iali'i-Makin, 19 Jordan Smiler, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Nigel Ah Wong.
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Matt Carraro, 13 Rob Horne, 12 David Horwitz, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Jed Holloway, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 David Dennis, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Angus Ta'avao, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Paddy Ryan.
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Matt Sandell, 18 Jeremy Tilse, 19 Sam Lousi, 20 Wycliff Palu, 21 Jack Dempsey, 22 Matt Lucas, 23 Bryce Hegarty.
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Quinton Immelman (South Africa), William Houston (Australia)
TMO: Ian Smith
Compiled by Jan de Koning
@King365ed
@rugby365com
* Statistical information provided by Opta Sports
