Super Rugby semifinals - teams and stats

PREVIEW: An injury-hit Crusaders team missing All Black forwards Sam Whitelock and Ethan Blackadder are anticipating a bruising encounter when they host the Blues in the Super Rugby Pacific semifinal on Friday.

The Crusaders, who are chasing a seventh straight Super Rugby title, have already beaten the Blues home and away during the regular season.

This time they will have to do it without veteran lock Whitelock, who is sidelined for a second week by an Achilles tendon injury.

Loose forward Blackadder hurt his quad in last weekend’s quarter-final hammering of the Fijian Drua. It came just minutes into his return after months out with a calf injury.

Crusaders captain Scott Barrett says the hosts will cope without the pair of All Blacks.

“Sam was missing last week too and Ethan was only there for four minutes, so we are used to changes as a team. We are ready to go,” Barrett told reporters Thursday.

The Christchurch-based outfit has been hit hard by injury all season with 12 players currently unavailable.

But the Crusaders have made a habit of beating the Blues, who they also saw off 21-7 in last season’s final at Auckland’s Eden Park.

“Physical and intense” is how Barrett describes recent showdowns with the Blues.

“They will be looking to come down here, upset us and get a ticket for the final.”

Barrett expects the visitors to “show up with physicality, possibly niggle and a bit of chat, so we’ve got to be prepared for that”.

‘Big carrot’

A key battle will be at outside half between Crusaders playmaker Richie Mo’Unga and Blues star Beauden Barrett, brother of the opposition skipper.

Mo’Unga and Barrett go head-to-head in the battle for New Zealand’s Number 10 shirt.

Both are expected to be included on Sunday when All Blacks head coach Ian Foster names his squad for the Rugby Championship.

Blues coach Leon MacDonald says his side is relishing another chance to break the Crusaders’ stranglehold on the Super Rugby crown.

“The challenge of going down there and potentially breaking that unbeaten playoff record is a big carrot and great motivation for us,” MacDonald told reporters.

The Blues are boosted by the return of All Black Caleb Clarke from injury on the left wing.

“We’re confident. We’ve been building nicely and there’s a bit of continuity with our squad,” MacDonald added.

The Chiefs are at full strength for the other semifinal, on Saturday, when they host the Brumbies with lock Tupou Vaa’i and centre Alex Nankivell returning from injury.

“We have named an experienced side who are fresh, fit and hungry to do a job. Should be a hell of a game,” said Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan.

As the only non-New Zealand side in the last four, the Brumbies are buoyed by last weekend’s nail-biting 37-33 home win over the Wellington Hurricanes in the quarter-finals.

Visiting captain Ardie Savea was denied a winning try in the dying seconds.

It was 23-year-old Brumbies replacement forward Luke Reimer who appeared to slip his hand under the ball to prevent Savea from grounding the ball.

Savea later insisted he touched the ball down, but the Brumbies jumped for joy when the referee ruled he was held up, which sent the Australian franchise into the semi-finals.

“Lukey came on and did the job he’s been doing all year. He calls himself the game-winner and he showed it again,” Brumbies lock Tom Hooper told reporters.

“We’re happy to be on the plane over and a lot of thanks to him.”

Semifinal teams and head-to-head stats follow below …

Friday, June 16

Crusaders v Blues
(Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch – Kick-off: 19.05; 7.05 GMT)

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Dallas McLeod, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 Jack Goodhue, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Sione Havili-Talitui, 5 Quinten Strange, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Oli Jager, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Dominic Gardiner, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Fergus Burke, 23 Chay Fihaki.

Blues: 15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Bryce Heem, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii (captain), 6 Akira Ioane, 5 James Tucker, 4 Tom Robinson, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Ofa Tuungafasi.
Replacements: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 Jordan Lay, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Cameron Suafoa, 20 Adrian Choat, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Stephen Perofeta.

Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe, James Doleman
TMO: Brett Cronan

Saturday, June 17

Chiefs v Brumbies
(Waikato Stadium, Hamilton – Kick-off: 19.05; 17.05 Canberra time; 07.05 GMT)

Teams

Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Alex Nankivell, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber (cc) 8 Luke Jacobson, 7 Sam Cane (cc), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross
Replacements: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 John Ryan, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Rameka Poihipi

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Tamati Tua, 11 Ollie Sapsford, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Nic White (captain), 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Pete Samu, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Sefo Kautai, 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Connal McInerney, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Rhys van Nek, 19 Darcy Swain, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Noah Lolesio, 23 Corey Toole.

Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Paul Williams, Jordan Way
TMO: Brendon Pickerill