Waikato chiefs travel to Christchurch to take over the Canterbury Crusaders in a blocking collision on Saturday which will decide which of the teams leads the rankings in the last two weeks of the super rugby season.

For all the increased competition of Australian teams and the Pacific Islands this season, the heavy weights of New Zealand seem to be likely to bear Super Rugby Title on the western shores of the Tasman Sea for another year.

chiefrunners for the past two years, have set the pace since the beginning of the season but suffered a 35-17 reverse in the hands of Welington hurricanes last week to stay forward Crusaders Only in the difference of points.

The 12-time champion crusaders, who had a Bye in the last round, enjoyed a pronounced revival after losing play-off in 2024 and a journey to Christchurch Stadium is once again one of the most difficult tasks in Rugby.

All Blacks Playmaker Damian McKenzie returns to the bosses after losing two rounds with a hand injury and Wallace Sititi, Rugby World’s 2024 Rugby World player, takes his first start of the season at number eight.

“Crusaders are a class team, have a scary record at home and look back to their maximum,“Said the coach of the chiefs Clayton McMillan.

“We are really waiting to close the horns. We were taught a lesson last week and we did not leave where our shortcomings were.“

All Blacks Center Braydon Ennor returns from a long break of damage to strengthen the Crusader midfield while the world class outside the sevu Reece has returned to the left arm.

The Crusaders were forced to choose a new flying after losing Taha Kemara for the season in a knee injury and have gone to Rivez Reihana’s youth for Australian experience James O’connor, who will begin on the bench.

“The bosses will be disappointed in their performance over the weekend, and they will come here and want to be brutal, they are proud men and they will come here determined,“Coach Rob Penney warned.

Do brumbiesAgain Australia’s standard carriers will dance the loser team from the Christchurch collision and move to second place if they can overcome Western force in Perth in the second match of Saturday.

The strength, which will celebrate their 20th anniversary in the game, amazed Brumbies in Canberra in the second round, but have fallen from the Play -offit points after going without a win in their last three games.

“We’ve seen this year force is a much better team than last year,“Said the always careful coach of Brumbie, Stephen Larkham.

“They have some really good players in the main positions and they are uniting them in the field when it matters.”

Fourth set Queensland reds can also make up the ground of leaders on Friday if they can become the first team to beat ninth ninth NSW WARATAHS In their home in Sydney this season.

Hurricanes and Pacific Oceanwhich occupies fifth and sixth place in the ranking, has a Bye in round 13, offering reigning champions Blues Auckland A chance to move up from the stature and at the points of the play off.

All Blacks Player Beauden Barret Fijian In the heat of the swing, and the potentially tropical rain, on Friday evening in the plaster.