Changed line-ups for Super 14 semis

WELLINGTON – None of the four teams remaining in rugby’s Super 14 is likely to have the luxury of naming an unchanged team for semi-finals in New Zealand on Friday and South Africa on Saturday.

Injuries or suspensions have impinged on preparations by the Bulls and Canterbury Crusaders for their semi-final in Pretoria on Saturday and the Waikato Chiefs and Wellington Hurricanes for theirs in Hamilton on Friday.
The Bulls, who finished the regular season in first place and are out to regain the title they won in 2007 but conceded to the Crusaders last year, are likely to be without centre JP Nel for the match at Loftus Versfeld stadium.
Nel was suspended for four weeks Monday for a dangerous tackle on Sharks fullback Stefan Terblanche in the last round of the regular season. He has appealed the suspension, offering to tender new video evidence, to avoid a ban which would keep him out of the semi-final and the final, if the Bulls advance.
Nel’s place will be taken by Jaco Pretorius if the appeal fails. The Bulls avoided a double blow in midfield when Springboks centre Wynand Olivier was passed fit to play after concern over a hip injury. Springboks lock Bakkies Botha was also named in a starting 15 after avoiding suspension Monday on a striking charge.
The Bulls will start Saturday’s match as favourite after leading Super 14 standings for the last six weeks. Though they lost to the Crusaders in Christchurch this season, the Bulls have the distinction of being the only team to have beaten Canterbury in a Super 14 semi-final.
Their 27-12 win in Pretoria two seasons ago, which preceded their win over the Sharks to become South Africa’s first Super 14 champion, gave them one of their five wins over the Crusaders in 16 meetings since 1996.
‘It is a great opportunity for us as they remain the only team in the top four that we haven’t beaten,’ this season, Bulls captain Victor Matfield said.
The expected return of All Blacks lock Brad Thorn from a hamstring injury will cause at least one change to the Crusaders’ starting line-up for Saturday’s match. All Blacks scrumhalf Andy Ellis was named in the starting side but remained in serious doubt Thursday because of a hip injury.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder acknowledged the Bulls’ strength in set pieces and the well-rehearsed game plan which has seen them win all but three of 13 matches this season. First-season coach Blackadder said his players, who beat the Bulls 16-13 in Christchurch in round eight, remained confident.
‘The Bulls have every right to be excited and so do their supporters because they are No. 1,’ he said. ‘They have a fantastic game plan and real experience.
The Waikato Chiefs will be experiencing semi-final rugby for only the second time and will host a semi-final for the first time when they meet the Hurricanes in Hamilton. They will be without All Blacks centre Richard Kahui, the result of a calf injury, and have also lost All Blacks scrumhalf Brendon Leonard and prop Ben May to injuries.
Matches between the Chiefs and Hurricanes are usually high-scoring – they have the two best attacking records in the Super 14 – but wet weather influenced the Chiefs’ 16-8 win when the teams met in Hamilton two weeks ago.
The Chiefs hope to shrug off semi-final nerves to play open rugby on Friday.
All Blacks flyhalf Stephen Donald, who has scored all of the Chiefs’ points in their last two matches, was more doubtful the semi-final would feature expansive rugby.
The Hurricanes hoped to name an unchanged team for Friday’s match but now expect to lose lock Jeremy Thrush with an arm injury.
All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu will be making his fifth semi-final appearance for the Hurricanes, surpassing Tana Umaga’s record of four. The Hurricanes will be playing in a semi-final for the sixth time but have won only once, in 2006. – Nampa-AP