Rugby: Crunch time for NZ teams

Desperate times have arrived early for most of New Zealand's Super 14 rugby hopefuls.

Only the Crusaders can feel satisfied with their progress to date midway through the competition.

But for the Blues, Chiefs, Highlanders and Hurricanes, it is very much a case of must do better, and quickly, as all threaten to fall well off the pace entering the eighth round this week.

The ninth-placed Blues face the stiffest test on Saturday when they host the chart-topping Bulls in Auckland, charged with ending the defending champions' unbeaten 12-match run, which is one short of the Crusaders' record winning streak of 13 consecutive Super matches.

The Bulls have not beaten the Blues in eight matches in Auckland but that historical oddity could be about to be consigned to the dustbin given their dominance.

The Bulls have the luxury of naming an unchanged team for the match, with the Blues expecting the South Africans to go to their highly vaunted maul to assert dominance.

Coach Pat Lam believes the Bulls' major weapon can be countered if the Blues' defenders did their job as a unit.

"It's actually quite easy," he said. "If you do it as a team, stay in the structure, it's definitely possible to stop. If you try to stop it in ones and twos, you've got no hope."

Being able to disrupt the Bulls' lineout ball was also be an advantage, but once the maul formed, "you have to put pressure on it and you have to work as a group to nullify it".

All Blacks utility back Luke McAlister will make his long-awaited comeback from injury for the Blues off the reserves bench against the Bulls while loosehead prop Charlie Faumuina comes in for All Black Tony Woodcock, who suffered a neck injury in the 32-39 loss to the Waratahs last weekend.

The injury toll is mounting elsewhere, too, with the Chiefs and Highlanders both feeling the strain ahead of their game at Mt Maunganui on Saturday night.

The Highlanders, back in 11th place despite picking up their second win over the Lions last week, are without influential prop Jamie Mackintosh, who has been ruled out for at least six weeks due to a toe injury.

Highlanders coach Glenn Moore said the injury was "a big blow for Jamie and the team as he is a key leader within the set-up".

They are also still without lock Tom Donnelly, who last week underwent surgery to insert a pin in his ankle and is likely to be out for the rest of the Super 14 season.

After a run of three successive losses, the Chiefs have made four changes to their starting 15, most of them forced by injury.

Coach Ian Foster has opted to give Mike Delany his first start of the season at first five-eighth, with regular No 10 Stephen Donald moving to second five-eighth and Jackson Willison dropping to the bench.

Those ruled out by injury are winger Sitiveni Sivivatu and flanker Tanerau Latimer, both with knee problems, and hooker Aled de Malmanche, whose fractured thumb is expected to take three to six weeks to heel. Their replacements are Dwayne Sweeney, Luke Braid and Hika Elliot.

Foster said there was frustration at the growing casualty list, which also includes props Nathan White and James McGougan, both with back injuries.

"That doesn't change the importance of this game against the Highlanders," he said.

"After a couple of close losses, the team is keen to get going again and produce a good performance at home at the Mount."

The enigmatic Hurricanes are another team needing to turn around their flagging fortunes when they meet the third-placed Crusaders in Wellington tomorrow night.

The Hurricanes have lost their last four matches, leaving coach Colin Cooper scratching his head and his opposite Todd Blackadder expecting a backlash.

"They are the sort of team that can be really dangerous when they are desperate. They have had a tough few weeks and always take it to the Crusaders," Blackadder said.

Elsewhere, Western Force play the second-placed Stormers at Perth tomorrow night, flanker Chris Alcock will make his Waratahs debut in place of injured skipper Phil Waugh against the Cheetahs in Sydney on Saturday night, and the Sharks host the resurgent Reds at Durban on Sunday morning (NZT).

 

 

 

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