Three teams battle for two playoff spots

SYDNEY – Defending champions Northern Bulls, Coastal Sharks and NSW Waratahs are vying for two playoff spots this weekend as Super 15 organisers juggle flight schedules due to Chile’s volcano ash cloud.

It’s a potential winner-takes-all for the Bulls and Sharks in a compelling South African derby in Pretoria tomorrow, especially so if the Waratahs win their all-Australian final round match against the ACT Brumbies in Sydney.The Bulls, tournament winners in three of the past four seasons, and the Durban-based Sharks are just one point ahead of the Waratahs, who can clinch a playoff place if they can get past the improving Brumbies. It’s a promoter’s dream as the fifth-placed Bulls, winners of their past six games, face a showdown with the sixth-placed Sharks. Both teams likely need to win to stay alive in the race for the southern hemisphere championship title.Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has Bakkies Botha and fellow Springbok Fourie du Preez available in a full-strength squad for the big match as coach John Plumtree seeks an 80-minute effort from his Sharks at high altitude.’We’ve talked about that (having to come from behind) as a group,’ Plumtree said.’We’ve struggled in the first 15-20 minutes and it’s got better as we’ve gone on (playing at high altitude) and we certainly can’t afford that against a quality side like the Bulls.’The Durban team have played well sporadically rather than continuously and last weekend they had to overturn a 21-point deficit to draw 30-30 with the lowly Golden Lions.’I’m sure we’re underdogs but the thing is, we do have plenty to lose,’ Plumtree said.’We don’t want to be knocked out of this competition, we don’t want to be worrying about the Waratahs-Brumbies score, although I guess we’ll be keeping a close eye on it.’The injury-hit Waratahs have returning Wallaby second-rower Dan Vickerman on the bench for their crunch encounter with the Brumbies.The South African-born Vickerman, 32, who last played for NSW in 2008, has spent the intervening period studying in England and only returned to Australia last Saturday.Backrower Dave Dennis will start at number eight for the injured Wycliff Palu, while Wallaby back Berrick Barnes won’t play any more Super Rugby this season after head knock-related issues.’It doesn’t get any bigger than this. Win, and we’re in the finals, it’s as simple as that,’ Dennis said.Super 15 organisers have had to scramble to get four teams to their respective matches this weekend amid travel disruptions caused by the Chile volcano ash cloud. The table-topping Queensland Reds left for Auckland yesterday en route to Hamilton for tomorrow’s match against the Waikato Chiefs.Former All Black winger Caleb Ralph has been plucked out of Queensland club rugby to bolster the injury-hit frontrunners against the Chiefs and will equal former Wallaby skipper George Gregan (136) as the competition’s third most-capped player.The Otago Highlanders, who face the fourth-placed Blues today, needed a charter flight Thursday to get to Auckland, while the third-placed Canterbury Crusaders will fly in a private DC 3 jet on today to Wellington for their game tomorrow against the Hurricanes.The Western Force left for Melbourne on Thursday after the ash cloud lifted around Perth ahead of their match against the Rebels on Friday.The Force, who are bidding to finish third in the Australian conference, will be without Wallabies, skipper Nathan Sharpe (ankle) and suspended James O’Connor, who this week announced he was heading to the Rebels next season after negotiations with the Perth club broke down.The Western Stormers, in second place and all but certain of clinching the South African Conference, are away to the Central Cheetahs in Bloemfontein tomorrow. – Nampa-AFP