The two teams are loaded with All Blacks including each side's talismanic fly-half, with All Blacks Beuaden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga set to go toe-to-toe once again.
Which of these two powerhouses of New Zealand rugby will book their ticket for the Grand Final? Darry Worthington gives his opinion on that questions as he runs the rule over what should be a belting derby fixture.
Friday 16 June
Crusaders 11/20 | Draw 20/1 | Blues 15/10
Handicap
TBA*
Yes, Super Rugby Pacific may be a dull product over all but these are the games that still make the tournament such an intriguing spectacle. You’ve got the two most successful sides in the tournament’s history squaring off in a semi-final loaded with world class talent.
Both sides put in dominant showings during their quarter-final clashes with the Crusaders beating the Fijian Drua 49-8 while the Blues recorded a comfortable 41-12 win over the Waratahs.
Looking a bit deeper into those quarter-final clashes and the Crusaders will be very happy with how their forward pack and in particular their rolling maul functioned with two of their tries coming directly from line-out mauls and another being courtesy of the Drua being sorry worried about a maul being set up that they ignored the ball off the top which resulted a try near the poles.
While the Crusaders victory was a forward dominated affair, the Blues demolition job of the Waratahs came courtesy of their exciting backline. The Blues actually got the fixture off to a sluggish start conceding an early converted try. Any chances of an upset were put to bed by the Aucklanders by half-time, however, with tries from Finlay Christie and Hoskins Sotutu and a Beauden Barett penalty seeing the hosts head into the break 17-7 up.
Zarn Sullivan and the tournament’s top try-scorer, Mark Telea, would both score after the break and the ensure the Blues marched into the semi-finals off the back of a solid display.
Away from last week’s action for now though and let’s delve into the head-to-heads between the sides this term. Both of the regular season encounters were one by the Crusaders who ran out 28-34 victors at Eden Park in March and they won May’s arm wrestle between the sides 15-3.
On to team news now, and the Crusaders are missing a plethora of players with Sam Whitelock, Cullen Grace and David Havilli and Joe Moody and Sevu Reece all out of the equation while they could be joined by Todd Blackadder who did his calf during the final salvos of the clash with the Drua. Zach Gallagher could also miss out with the lock suffering an injury to his leg in the Drua fixture as well.
The Blues are yet to announce any new injury news but they will certainly be in better shape than their opponents, who are threadbare in a number of positions.
I can see the Crusaders injury issues causing them problems. While their forward pack did a great job against the Drua, the Blues’ tight five are a much tougher opponent.
I can see the Crusaders’ injury issues in the front row and backrow opening the door for the Blues. Big strike is on the away side on the plus but I will also be having a dabble on the straight win for the visitors too.
Blues on the plus.
