Auckland look for further SA success

SYDNEY – Super 14 front-runners Auckland Blues are looking to complete their triumphant South African leg with maximum points against the unbeaten Coastal Sharks in Durban tomorrow.

New Zealand powerhouses, Auckland and Canterbury Crusaders, have shredded South African opposition to state their claims for the southern hemisphere provincial crown and the Sharks know they have to be at their best to stop the Blues’ charge. Auckland have a maximum 15 points from their opening three games, one ahead of the six-time champion Crusaders, and have hit the ground running, while the South African teams have laboured.”The Blues and Crusaders have adapted to the ELVs (experimental laws) the best in the Super 14 and they are playing really well,” Sharks coach Dick Muir said yesterday.He says the excuses must end for South African rugby and he is hopeful his Sharks will be the catalyst for a rebound by the republic teams.Blues coach David Nucifora said his team was expecting a battle from the Sharks.”It seems everybody is talking us up and them down, but the bottom line is that the Sharks also have three wins from three,” he said.The Crusaders, who blanked the Western Stormers 22-0 in Cape Town last weekend, are in Perth on their way home for a Sunday match against the Western Force.The Force nearly pulled off the upset of the season when the Crusaders were last in Perth in 2006 with a 23-all draw and the Australians are on the back of two narrow wins over the Central Cheetahs and Golden Lions in South Africa.”To date we have made a pretty good start, but we have really got to be able to finish that off and get home in good shape,” Crusaders’ coach Robbie Deans said.”But it is good to get out of Africa without dropping a game, it does not happen very often.”The fly-half duel between the Force’s Matt Giteau and the Crusaders’ Dan Carter will be a highlight.The ACT Brumbies have been devastated by this week’s news that World Cup Wallaby back Julian Huxley has been diagnosed with a brain tumour ahead of today’s all-Australian derby with the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.The Waratahs have been far from convincing with two wins out of three games but will start favourites against the injury-ravaged Brumbies.Defending champions Northern Bulls are at the point of no return as they prepare for their South African derby with the Lions in Pretoria tonight.Nampa-AFPAuckland have a maximum 15 points from their opening three games, one ahead of the six-time champion Crusaders, and have hit the ground running, while the South African teams have laboured.”The Blues and Crusaders have adapted to the ELVs (experimental laws) the best in the Super 14 and they are playing really well,” Sharks coach Dick Muir said yesterday.He says the excuses must end for South African rugby and he is hopeful his Sharks will be the catalyst for a rebound by the republic teams.Blues coach David Nucifora said his team was expecting a battle from the Sharks.”It seems everybody is talking us up and them down, but the bottom line is that the Sharks also have three wins from three,” he said.The Crusaders, who blanked the Western Stormers 22-0 in Cape Town last weekend, are in Perth on their way home for a Sunday match against the Western Force.The Force nearly pulled off the upset of the season when the Crusaders were last in Perth in 2006 with a 23-all draw and the Australians are on the back of two narrow wins over the Central Cheetahs and Golden Lions in South Africa.”To date we have made a pretty good start, but we have really got to be able to finish that off and get home in good shape,” Crusaders’ coach Robbie Deans said.”But it is good to get out of Africa without dropping a game, it does not happen very often.”The fly-half duel between the Force’s Matt Giteau and the Crusaders’ Dan Carter will be a highlight.The ACT Brumbies have been devastated by this week’s news that World Cup Wallaby back Julian Huxley has been diagnosed with a brain tumour ahead of today’s all-Australian derby with the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.The Waratahs have been far from convincing with two wins out of three games but will start favourites against the injury-ravaged Brumbies.Defending champions Northern Bulls are at the point of no return as they prepare for their South African derby with the Lions in Pretoria tonight.Nampa-AFP