Conference leaders to be tested in Super Rugby
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The leading teams in Super Rugby's three conferences will face important tests of strength during the weekend's seventh round.
The Durban-based Sharks will face the Cape Town-based Stormers in a clash of the top two teams in the Africa conference.
The Hamilton-based Chiefs, who have taken over the lead in the New Zealand conference from defending champions the Crusaders, host the Wellington-based Hurricanes in a potentially high-scoring derby.
The ACT Brumbies will seek to extend their lead in the Australia conference when they play the struggling New South Wales Waratahs in the last match of the round on Sunday. The Brumbies are the only team to enjoy a comfortable lead in their conference, five points clear of the second place Melbourne Rebels and 13 points ahead of the Waratahs, who are fourth in Australia and second to last on the overall table.
The Sharks are three points ahead of the Stormers in South Africa, though the Stormers have a match in hand, and the Chiefs are level on points with the Crusaders in New Zealand but hold first place on points differential. Only five points separate the Chiefs from the fourth-place Hurricanes in the New Zealand conference.
The Sharks will face a Stormers team weakened by the loss to injury of Springboks forwards Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi and Bongi Mbonambi and believe they can find more weaknesses in the former conference leaders.
"Each game is very individual and we've done very well to find a point of pressure in the opposition early in most of our games then to get a result by adjusting accordingly," Sharks attack coach David Williams said.
"It can be many different things, like deciding whether or not to stick with the lineout drive, holding the ball back in certain situations before releasing it, going for over the top ball, that sort of thing. Our chances of winning will be based around us finding the point of pressure early, based on what they have come to do and then playing on that."
The Chiefs, who are bolstered by the return of All Blacks playmaker Damian McKenzie, expect to face a Hurricanes team determined to rebound from last weekend's damaging loss to the Auckland-based Blues.
The Hurricanes were reduced to 12 men in the second half last weekend as they lost prop Tyrel Lomax to a red card and Vaea Fifita and Jordie Barrett to yellow cards. Lomax has been suspended for three matches for foul play.
"We know when we ourselves come off a loss we come out firing. No doubt they'll be doing the same so we really need to flick the switch come kickoff time," Chiefs scrumhalf Brad Weber told the New Zealand Herald. "We are trying to win everything, especially against New Zealand conference teams because it's almost worth double points and we know how important positioning is on the table down towards the latter end of the competition."
The Brumbies impressively beat the Sunwolves 47-14 last week but will face a sterner test from the Waratahs. Captain Alan Alaalatoa said the team was "building momentum nicely" after posting four wins and a one-point loss in matches so far this season.
Super Rugby continues to be affected by the coronavirus. The match between Japan's Sunwolves and the Christchurch-based Crusaders has been moved from Tokyo to Brisbane on Saturday.
Chief medical officers for the three conferences are meeting weekly to discuss developments in the virus outbreak and the latest advice from national health agencies.
Players and support staff from all of the tournament's 15 teams along with match officials are subject to daily temperature monitoring.
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