Super Rugby preview round 12: Will the Hurricanes blow past the Crusaders?

It’s out of the brand new stadium in Christchurch and into the Cake Tin for a classic Kiwi derby to kick-off Round 12 of Super Rugby.

Both the Hurricanes and Crusaders have a tough run towards the playoffs and will be desperate for a win in Wellington.

So do the Canes deserve to be overwhelming favourites to beat the Saders?

Can the Highlanders keep their playoff hopes alive in one of the toughest places to win?

And why aren’t the Blues being talked about as genuine title contenders?

Let’s explore these questions and delve deeper into the three games involving Kiwi teams.

HURRICANES v CRUSADERS, Wellington, Friday 7.05pm

I can’t remember a time when the Crusaders were paying $4.80 to win a game.

But that’s the odds the TAB are dishing up with the Hurricanes $1.17 favourites.

If you look at the form book this season, I guess that’s fair enough.

The Canes were red-hot against the Brumbies last weekend, while the Saders beat the Waratahs but are still struggling to find their groove without Will Jordan.

As usual with Kiwi derbies, there are enticing match-ups all over the park.

Perhaps the most interesting is in the seven jersey with Leicester Fainga’anuku getting his second start on the openside flank opposite one of the most consistent flankers in the competition in Du’Plessis Kirifi, whose mum gave a great speech before his 100th last week.

The midfield match-up should be a cracker too with the Canes combo of Jordie Barrett and Billy Proctor coming up against the experienced Crusaders duo of Braydon Ennor and David Havili, who’s celebrating his 150th game.

Running through both teams, you get the feeling the Canes have the edge at lock, halfback, first-five, the back-three and the bench so it’s tough to disagree with the bookies.

Prediction: Canes by 10

FIJIAN DRUA v HIGHLANDERS, Fiji, Saturday 4pm

The Highlanders made hard work of beating Moana Pasifika last weekend and face one of the most daunting challenges in Super Rugby.

Beating the Drua is Fiji is bloody tough, just ask the Hurricanes who lost there earlier this season.

But the Landers have never lost to the Fijian Drua in their four meetings, but that only includes one game in the islands back in 2022.

Falou Fakatava returns at halfback for Jamie Joseph’s team who currently sit seventh on the table, just three points outside of a playoff spot.

Despite last week’s defeat to the Chiefs which included one of the most bizarre tries of all-time, the Drua have been in good form, beating the Brumbies in Canberra and winning against the Force at home.

For the Highlanders, Jona Nareki returns from injury on the wing, joining fellow Fijian-born star Timoci Tavatavanawai in the backline which will need to fire if they're to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Prediction: Drua by 3

MOANA PASIFIKA v BLUES, North Harbour, Saturday 7.05pm

The Blues are third on the table, so why is no one really talking about them as serious title contenders?

The Chiefs and Hurricanes are the runaway favourites for the crown, and rightly so.

The Blues are yet to really show over 80 minutes that they deserve to be in the conversation too, fading in the past two weeks against the Reds and Highlanders but winning both games.

They’re using this outing against Moana to rest several star players including Beauden Barrett who’s on the bench, with Stephen Perofeta getting a crack in the ten jersey..

Caleb Clarke returns from injury on the left wing and will no doubt be a handful for the Moana defenders.

MP beat the Blues for the first time last year, but lost to them by 36 points at Eden Park earlier this season, and you get the feeling history might repeat.

Predictions: Blues by 36