Super Rugby, semifinals - teams and predictions

PREVIEW: The defending champions, the Blues, have come from sixth to make the semifinals after beating the top-ranked Chiefs in the preliminary play-offs and now face the Crusaders in Christchurch.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs get a second chance as the highest-ranked ‘lucky’ loser in the preliminary play-offs and meet the Brumbies in Hamilton, who were too strong for the Hurricanes in Canberra.

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said his team were peaking at the right time and could upset the Chiefs.

The Canberra-based side travel to Hamilton for the bumper clash on Saturday with an unchanged squad for the first time this season, spearheaded by a slew of Wallabies, including Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper.

But they are battling the odds, having exited in the semifinals to New Zealand teams in the last three years, while the Chiefs are unbeaten against them in four games.

Larkham said he was optimistic they can make the Final, which will be in Canberra if they beat the Chiefs and the Blues topple the Crusaders in the other last-four clash.

“The boys are peaking at the right time,” Larkham said.

“I thought they played really well on the weekend,” he said, referring to their 35-28 takedown of the in-form Hurricanes in their preliminary play-offs.

“The selection is based on performance, but we also certainly want continuity going into the finals. And it’s nice to have at this stage of the season.

“We’ll make sure that we keep our emotions in check this week. The boys can get a lot of confidence out of the way that we’re playing.

“There’s a lot of stats that show that we’re playing very good footy and we’ve also shown consistency throughout the season.”

The Chiefs have been the standout club all season and are looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this year after a 20-19 defeat to the defending champion Blues last weekend.

Larkham said the Brumbies would not be “copying” the Blues’ playbook, with his team “in a pretty good space in terms of our routine”.

“We’ve got a plan this week in terms of some of the stuff that we’ve been building on through the year, and then some specific stuff for the Chiefs,” he said.

“There are a few challenges. The Chiefs are different to the Hurricanes.

“We certainly want to make sure that we get the details. We respect the opposition. We know what threats they bring.”

All the semifinal teams and predictions follow below …

Friday, June 13

Crusaders v Blues
(Rugby League Park, Christchurch – Kick-off: 19.05; 07.05 GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Crusaders by nine points

Teams

CRUSADERS: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Rivez Reihana, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Antonio Shalfoon, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower.
Replacements: 16 George Bell, 17 Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Jamie Hannah, 20 Cullen Grace, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Dallas McLeod.

BLUES: 15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Mark Tele’a, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 AJ Lam, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Adrian Choat, 5 Laghlan McWhannell, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Joshua Fusitu’a.
Replacements: Kurt Eklund, Jordan Lay, Angus Ta’avao, Josh Beehre, Anton Segner, Sam Nock, Harry Plummer, Cole Forbes

Referee: James Doleman
Assistant referees: Paul Williams, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Richard Kelly

Saturday, June 14

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

Prediction

@rugby365com: Chiefs by six points

Teams

CHIEFS: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Luke Jacobson (captain), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Kaylum Boshier, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Gideon Wrampling.

BRUMBIES: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Lington Ieli, 18 Feao Fotuaika, 19 Lachlan Shaw, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Declan Meredith, 23 Ollie Sapsford.

Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy, Jordan Way
TMO: Brett Cronan