SUPER RUGBY 2023 SEMI FINALS

We are down to the penultimate week of the Super Rugby Pacific season with just four teams left standing.

The first semifinal kicks off on Friday night when the Crusaders host the Blues in a blockbuster from Christchurch. The Crusaders are unbeaten in home playoff matches since 1998, amassing a 28/28 record. The Blues won’t be daunted by previous history and will be eager to gain revenge for their loss to the Crusaders in last year’s final.

The second semifinal sees the ACT Brumbies fly the Australian flag against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night. The Chiefs have only had one stumble in 2023 and will go into the game as deserved favourites. But the Brumbies showed great grit to hold out the Hurricanes last week, and with players like Nic White, Rob Valetini and Len Ikitau in their ranks, cannot be discounted.

Crusaders vs Blues, 5.05pm (AEST) 7.05pm (NZT) Friday

BLUES ‘NOT SPOOKED’ BY CRUSADERS HOME PLAYOFF RECORD

The Crusaders have won 17 of their last 18 Super Rugby Pacific games against the Blues (L1) including their last three on the bounce; this will be the fourth meeting between them in the post-season (Crusaders – W2 L1).
The Crusaders have won their last seven home games on the bounce in Super Rugby Pacific, conceding just 14 points per game in that span; indeed, they’ve scored 40+ points in three of their last four games on home turf in the competition.
The Crusaders have won their last 14 consecutive finals games in Super Rugby Pacific, restricting their opposition to fewer than 10 points in four of their last six finals games; their last post-season loss came against the Lions in the 2016 play-offs (25-42).
The Blues have won eight of their last nine Super Rugby Pacific games including their last four on the bounce; though, their only defeat in that stretch came against the Crusaders in Round 12 this season (3-15).
The Blues have won four of their last five games played in the finals in Super Rugby Pacific, conceding an average of just 15 points per game across that term; though, their only loss in that period came against the Crusaders in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific Final (7-21).
The Crusaders (295m) and Blues (247m) have gained more metres from mauls than any other teams in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season; though, the Crusaders (10) have scored the most maul tries this season while the Blues have scored only one.
The Blues (70) and Crusaders (48) have made more entries into the opposition 22m zone than they’ve conceded into their own 22m zone than any other teams in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season; in fact, the Chiefs (45) are the only other team to have made 15 more than their opposition this season.
Scott Barrett (Crusaders) has made 17 dominant tackles throughout the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, more than any other player in the competition and six more than any Blues player.
Codie Taylor (Crusaders) has scored seven tries in his last seven Super Rugby Pacific games including four tries in his last three appearances in the competition; though, he’s not scored in any of his last four games against the Blues in the competition.
Mark Telea (Blues) has scored six tries across his last four games in Super Rugby Pacific but has scored only once across his last five games against the Crusaders; Telea’s 97 defenders beaten in the 2023 season are 25 more than any other player in the competition.

Crusaders (1-15): Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Oliver Jager, Scott Barrett (c), Quinten Strange, Sione Havili Talitui, Tom Christie, Christian Lio-Willie, Mitchell Drummond, Richie Mo’unga, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Jack Goodhue, Braydon Ennor, Dallas McLeod, Will Jordan
Replacements: Brodie McAlister, Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Reuben O’Neill, Dominic Gardiner, Corey Kellow, Willi Heinz, Fergus Burke, Chay Fihaki

Blues (1-15): Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Ricky Riccitelli, Nepo Laulala, Tom Robinson, James Tucker, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii (c), Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Bryce Heem, Rieko Ioane, Mark Telea, Zarn Sullivan
Replacements: Kurt Eklund, Jordan Lay, Marcel Renata, Cameron Suafoa, Adrian Choat, Sam Nock, Harry Plummer, Stephen Perofeta

Referee: Angus Gardner

Chiefs vs Brumbies, 5.05pm (AEST) 7.05pm (NZT) Saturday

REDS SCARE PROVIDES ‘EDGE’ FOR CHIEFS AHEAD OF SEMIFINAL

The ACT Brumbies have won three of their last five Super Rugby Pacific games against the Chiefs despite being defeated 21-31 when they met earlier in the 2023 campaign; the ACT Brumbies had lost four games on the bounce prior to that five-game stretch.
The ACT Brumbies have won two of their last three Super Rugby Pacific games away to the Chiefs after having lost six in a row prior to that; their 38-28 win in their last such meeting was the first time they’ve scored 30 points away to the Chiefs since 2002.
This will be the third meeting between the Chiefs and ACT Brumbies in the post-season of the Super Rugby Pacific with each of the last three being won by the home team on the day including a 27-22 win to the Chiefs when they last hosted the Brumbies in the finals (2013 Final).
The Chiefs have won eight of their last nine Super Rugby Pacific games against teams from Australia including their last three on the spin; their only defeat in that span was a 22-25 loss to the Queensland Reds in Round 12 of this season.
The ACT Brumbies have lost nine of their 12 finals games away from home in Super Rugby Pacific including their last four in a row; their last away win in the post-season came against the Stormers in the 2015 play-offs (39-19).
The Chiefs have scored 14 tries after beginning possession with a turnover won in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition and eight more than the ACT Brumbies (6).
The ACT Brumbies have scored 2.9 points per attacking 22m zone entry this Super Rugby Pacific season, the second-most of any team in the competition; though, only the Crusaders (1.9) have conceded fewer points per 22m entry conceded than the Chiefs (2) this campaign.
Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs) has beaten 41 defenders throughout the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the second-most of any forward in the competition behind only the Hurricanes’ Ardie Savea (45).
Luke Reimer (ACT Brumbies) has made four try saver tackles in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, more than any other player in the competition and twice as many as any Chiefs player.
Len Ikitau (ACT Brumbies) is set to face the Chiefs for the fourth time in his Super Rugby Pacific career; he has scored one try in each of his three previous games against them in the competition; he’s also made one try assist in that period.

Chiefs (1-15): Aidan Ross, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Dyer, Brodie Retallick, Tupou Vaai, Samipeni Finau, Sam Cane (co-c), Luke Jacobson, Brad Weber (co-c), Damian McKenzie, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Anton Lienert-Brown, Alex Nankivell, Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson
Replacements: Tyrone Thompson, Ollie Norris, John Ryan, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Pita Gus Sowakula, Cortez Ratima, Josh Ioane, Rameka Poihipi

Brumbies (1-15): James Slipper, Lachlan Lonergan, Sefo Kautai, Nick Frost, Cadeyrn Neville, Tom Hooper, Pete Samu, Rob Valetini, Nic White (c), Jack Debreczeni, Ollie Sapsford, Tamati Tua, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead, Tom Wright
Replacements : Connal McInerney, Blake Schoupp, Rhys Van Nek, Darcy Swain, Luke Reimer, Ryan Lonergan, Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole

Referee: Nic Berry