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Cape Town - The fixtures for the 2009 Vodacom Super 14 semi-finals were confirmed after a dramatic last weekend of league matches.
With several crucial matches taking place on Friday and Saturday, the log positions were changing right until the end of the weekend’s final game between the Vodacom Bulls and the Sharks in Durban on Saturday evening.
The 2007 champions, the Bulls, defeated the hosts 27-26 to secure top place on the log and a home semi-final against the Crusaders, who ended fourth after a narrow 15-13 win over the Blues in their final league fixture earlier on Saturday. The Bulls have the incentive of hosting the final on May 30 should they defeat the title holders at Loftus Versfeld.
The Sharks needed to score four tries and defeat the Bulls to have ensured themselves a place in the last four. Unfortunately for them, they were eight points behind when their fourth try was scored on the stroke of full-time and there was not enough time remaining to restart the match after the conversion had narrowed the gap to only one point. The Sharks ended the season in sixth position.
The Chiefs guaranteed themselves a home semi-final with a tight 10-7 win over the Brumbies on Friday. They will face the Hurricanes, who beat a competitive Reds side 37-28 in Brisbane on Saturday. Although they secured a bonus point, it was not enough to put the Hurricanes ahead of the Chiefs. The Reds defeat ended any Waratahs hopes of making the playoffs after the Australians had moved into fourth place with a gutsy 38-33 win over the Auto & General Lions on Friday. The Waratahs finished in fifth place.
On Saturday, the Bulls will face the Crusaders in the semi-finals for the third time in four seasons. In 2007, the Bulls beat the Crusaders 27-12 in Pretoria on their way to winning the title, whilst in 2006 the Crusaders scored a 35-15 win in Christchurch against the Pretoria side to set up a final against the Hurricanes.
The Bulls also reached the last four in 2005 but went down against the Waratahs in Sydney. Saturday will be their fourth semi-final appearance in the past five seasons and they will be chasing their second Super 14 title in three years.
The defending champions have been a dominant force in Super Rugby since its inception in 1996. They have won the title seven times and are chasing their 4th crown in five seasons. The clash against the Bulls will be their seventh consecutive appearance in the last four. In all, they have reached the semi-finals 10 times since 1996, losing just once.
In their league fixture against the Bulls in early April, the Crusaders won 16-13 in Christchurch.
The Chiefs will be playing in only their second semi-final when they host the Hurricanes in Hamilton on Saturday. Their previous appearance in the last four was in 2004 when they lost 32-17 to the Brumbies in Canberra.
The Hurricanes will be making their fourth semi-final appearance in the last five seasons and their fifth in total since 1996. They have only been victorious once in the knockout rounds – in 2006 when they defeated the Waratahs – and have been on the losing side against the Crusaders three times (2003, 2005 and 2008) and against the Brumbies in 1997.
The Chiefs, who have won nine out of their last ten matches, beat the Hurricanes 16-8 in their penultimate league match on May 9.
Meanwhile, the Vodacom Stormers defeated the Vodacom Cheetahs in their final league match 28-22 in Bloemfontein on Saturday to finish in 10th place. The Cheetahs ended the Super 14 in last position.
The Western Force ended eighth after winning their final match 33-28 against the Highlanders in Perth on Saturday. The Highlanders finished in 11th position.
With several crucial matches taking place on Friday and Saturday, the log positions were changing right until the end of the weekend’s final game between the Vodacom Bulls and the Sharks in Durban on Saturday evening.
The 2007 champions, the Bulls, defeated the hosts 27-26 to secure top place on the log and a home semi-final against the Crusaders, who ended fourth after a narrow 15-13 win over the Blues in their final league fixture earlier on Saturday. The Bulls have the incentive of hosting the final on May 30 should they defeat the title holders at Loftus Versfeld.
The Sharks needed to score four tries and defeat the Bulls to have ensured themselves a place in the last four. Unfortunately for them, they were eight points behind when their fourth try was scored on the stroke of full-time and there was not enough time remaining to restart the match after the conversion had narrowed the gap to only one point. The Sharks ended the season in sixth position.
The Chiefs guaranteed themselves a home semi-final with a tight 10-7 win over the Brumbies on Friday. They will face the Hurricanes, who beat a competitive Reds side 37-28 in Brisbane on Saturday. Although they secured a bonus point, it was not enough to put the Hurricanes ahead of the Chiefs. The Reds defeat ended any Waratahs hopes of making the playoffs after the Australians had moved into fourth place with a gutsy 38-33 win over the Auto & General Lions on Friday. The Waratahs finished in fifth place.
On Saturday, the Bulls will face the Crusaders in the semi-finals for the third time in four seasons. In 2007, the Bulls beat the Crusaders 27-12 in Pretoria on their way to winning the title, whilst in 2006 the Crusaders scored a 35-15 win in Christchurch against the Pretoria side to set up a final against the Hurricanes.
The Bulls also reached the last four in 2005 but went down against the Waratahs in Sydney. Saturday will be their fourth semi-final appearance in the past five seasons and they will be chasing their second Super 14 title in three years.
The defending champions have been a dominant force in Super Rugby since its inception in 1996. They have won the title seven times and are chasing their 4th crown in five seasons. The clash against the Bulls will be their seventh consecutive appearance in the last four. In all, they have reached the semi-finals 10 times since 1996, losing just once.
In their league fixture against the Bulls in early April, the Crusaders won 16-13 in Christchurch.
The Chiefs will be playing in only their second semi-final when they host the Hurricanes in Hamilton on Saturday. Their previous appearance in the last four was in 2004 when they lost 32-17 to the Brumbies in Canberra.
The Hurricanes will be making their fourth semi-final appearance in the last five seasons and their fifth in total since 1996. They have only been victorious once in the knockout rounds – in 2006 when they defeated the Waratahs – and have been on the losing side against the Crusaders three times (2003, 2005 and 2008) and against the Brumbies in 1997.
The Chiefs, who have won nine out of their last ten matches, beat the Hurricanes 16-8 in their penultimate league match on May 9.
Meanwhile, the Vodacom Stormers defeated the Vodacom Cheetahs in their final league match 28-22 in Bloemfontein on Saturday to finish in 10th place. The Cheetahs ended the Super 14 in last position.
The Western Force ended eighth after winning their final match 33-28 against the Highlanders in Perth on Saturday. The Highlanders finished in 11th position.
