It’s payback time for the Crusaders, Chiefs and Hurricanes this week as three of the Super Rugby Pacific quarter-finals will be cross-Tasman showdowns.
Seven wins for the Australian teams over their New Zealand rivals in 2022 – the Brumbies three, Waratahs two, the Rebels and Force one each – compared to a collective two from 25 last year, represents a marked improvement for the teams from Down Under.
It hasn’t been vintage Crusaders this season, the 10-time champions winning 11 and losing three in the regular season, but they’ve mastered the art of stepping up the game in the knockout rounds.
The Canterbury outfit finished second in the overall standings and will host the seventh-placed Reds in Christchurch on Friday, the Australians losing five of their last six matches but still managing to qualify for the playoffs.
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The Chiefs, despite injuries and illness decimating the squad through the campaign, finished third after 10 wins and four defeats.
On Saturday, the Waikato outfit will entertain the Waratahs, whose key victories at the back end against the Saders and Highlanders earned them a spot in the last eight.
The Blues lost their season opener, then bagged 12 straight victories to seal top spot with a week to spare, and will be firm favourites against the Highlanders in Auckland on Saturday.
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The Highlanders sneaked into eighth position, thanks to a losing bonus point against the Rebels in the last match of the regular season, with four wins from 14 games.
In what should be the closest of the quarter-finals, the Brumbies welcome the Hurricanes to Canberra.
The Brumbies misfired at the finish with a final-round defeat at Moana Pasifika, dropping them to fourth. Until then it had been mostly impressive, but will face a Canes side which won six of their last eight.
Fixtures:
Friday
Crusaders vs Reds
Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch, 9:05am
Saturday
Chiefs vs Waratahs
FMG Stadium, Waikato, 6:35am
Blues vs Highlanders
Eden Park, Auckland, 9:05am
Brumbies vs Hurricanes
GIO Stadium, Canberra, 11:45am
