The Blues and Brumbies will try to upset the Crusaders and Chiefs respectively. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Brumbies and Blues will have the weight of history against them as well as the Chiefs and Crusaders when they bid for a spot in the Super Rugby Pacific final this weekend.
The Canberra-based Brumbies will have to do what no Australian team has done in nearly three decades of Super Rugby and win a playoff in New Zealand when they take on the Chiefs in Hamilton in Saturday's second semi-final.
The Blues have at least beaten the Crusaders at their Christchurch fortress as recently as last year but on Friday they will have to become the first team to do so in 29 playoff matches going back to 1998.
The first semi-final is a rematch of last year's final, when the Crusaders made light of the Blues' regular season dominance to win 21-7 at Eden Park and claim a 13th title in all versions of Super Rugby.
The path to a 14th title, and seventh in a row, has been rutted with injuries but coach Scott Robertson was backing his 23-man squad to do the Crusaders tradition proud on Friday.
"I think any Crusaders team that is named will rise up to the occasion," Robertson, in his final Super Rugby campaign before he takes over the All Blacks, said.
The Blues will undoubtedly be relieved not to be facing All Blacks forwards Sam Whitelock, Cullen Grace and Ethan Blackadder in the heavyweight clash between New Zealand's biggest teams.
The visitors welcome winger Caleb Clarke back to a side studded with All Blacks, and coach Leon McDonald said his players were in no way "spooked" to be playing at Christchurch Stadium.
"Mystique? Yeah, they've got an amazing record but we definitely feel we can compete across the field and back ourselves there," he said.
The Chiefs were almost as dominant in the regular season this year as the Blues were in 2022 and will host the final if they can beat the Brumbies for a second time in three weeks on Saturday.
Damian McKenzie will again run the show at first-five behind a pack featuring All Blacks Sam Cane, Brodie Retallick and Luke Jacobson, who will look to ramp up the pressure on the Brumbies and build a platform for their potent backline.
"We have named an experienced side who are fresh, fit and hungry to do a job," said Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan.
The Brumbies will be without skipper Allan Alaalatoa, who was ruled out with a calf injury after what coach Stephen Larkham described as "robust discussions" with Wallabies medical staff.
Larkham has never been one to dwell too much on hoodoos and for him, breaking the long winless streak for Australian sides in playoffs in New Zealand is all about preparation.
"All year we've been developing our ability to perform on the weekend through our preparations through the week, and this will be no different," he said.
-Reuters
