Mitchell backs Super Rugby home semi-finalists
The Super Rugby tournament is down to the business end as the last four sides prepare for the semi-finals this Saturday.
The Hurricanes and Waratahs will be fresh off a week’s break – having secured first and second spot on the overall log which earned them home semi-finals.
Meanwhile the Brumbies are in a similar situation as the Cell C Sharks were in 2012 – the Durban outfit played the Reds in their playoff in Brisbane, flew back to South Africa and beat the Stormers in Cape Town before they were heavily beaten by the Chiefs in the final in Hamilton.
The Brumbies haven’t travelled quite as far, but going from Cape Town last weekend to Wellington is a long haul. Factoring in the daunting crowd at the Cake Tin and the Australian's will certainly be in for a tough encounter.
Former All Blacks coach John Mitchell told East Coast Radio earlier this week that the top two sides are far more likely to get wins this weekend.
Mitchell believes the combination of travel, and the specific teams' playing styles will determine the outcome of the semi-finals.
“I think if you look at the last three out of four titles, they’ve been won by the team at the top of the log so I think it’s for the Hurricanes to win. The Brumbies have to travel but they are very good at isolating the back three, they’re good at counter–rucking and are superb from turnover ball. They’ve also got an exceptional drive. I think the Hurricanes need to force the Brumbies to tackle a lot more so I’d expect to see the Hurricanes run the ball back a lot more and kick long as opposed to creating contestability,” Mitchell said.
“Maybe the Hurricanes will get a lot of change as the Brumbies tend to overcommit at the breakdown to attack the ruck and are quite narrow in terms of their defensive line speed. You might see the Hurricanes get around them as well. I think if the Brumbies over defend the Hurricanes will win.”
Looking towards the Waratahs-Highlanders clash, Mitchell believes the Australians will be tough to crack defensively.
“The Highlanders are bloody gutsy, so whether they can turn up and physically beat up the Waratahs is another question. If they can isolate Bernard Foley (Waratahs flyhalf), who tends to be hidden in their defensive system in the back three, maybe Lima Sopoaga can put attacking kicks on him and identify weaknesses or reclaim possession from him,” Mitchell said.
“But the Waratahs have exceptional line speed as well so it will be interesting to be seen if the Highlanders loose forwards can win that advantage line for them. They certainly have the potential, if the Waratahs want to be loose with possession on the advantage line then the Highlanders are very good from turnover ball and first phase ball – out of their fifty odd tries, 35 of them have come in the last 30 metres of the field on 1st phase. Another example of that was Aaron Smith with Waisake Naholo on the weekend attacking the short side of the scums; they’re very good in that area.”
The Hurricanes host the Brumbies at 09h35 on Saturday, while the Waratahs and Highlanders clash 11h55.
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
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