The Waratahs and Crusaders will be heavily favoured to advance to a Sydney final, but the two Vodacom Super Rugby play-off qualifiers played this weekend did breathe some much needed life into a competition that is sometimes accused of being too predictable.

As expected, the home teams did advance to next week’s round of semifinals, but it was a close run thing in both Canberra and Durban. More than that, the quality of rugby produced, and the entertainment value, was just what the doctor would have ordered if the goal of a medical consultation was to find out what could increase interest for the remaining two weeks.

Of the two winning teams, the Brumbies and the Sharks, it is the former who should go into the semifinals feeling most upbeat. They relaxed when they thought they had the game won and the Chiefs showed their championship qualities one last time before eventually conceding their run of success had come to an end by launching a brave, gutsy and classy fightback.

Once condemned to playing catch-up, the Chiefs produced some of their best rugby in a while, and may well have won had they shown just a bit of temperance in their commitment to attack, for it was their tendency to concede penalties in their own half by trying to play too much rugby there that cost them the game.

SuperSport

But the Brumbies, in the period they were on top and again when they were closing it out at the end, were impressive. Were they impressive enough to suggest they can beat the Waratahs? That will depend on how the Waratahs react to the week off they have had for their bye, and what they have been doing during their down time.

The Sydney team didn’t look like one that needed a break as they had all the momentum in the competition. If they are able to pick up where they left off at the start of the Sydney semifinal, then they will secure a home final for the following week. However, if they are off their game and show signs of rust, then the Brumbies have the equipment to hurt them.

The Brumbies were, along with the Sharks, among the front-runners for much of the early part of the competition this year and then they fell away. Their poor form before the resurgence started against the Western Force last week becomes explainable when you look at the players that have come back into their system.

Matt Toomua and Henry Speight were just two players who missed the previous game against the Waratahs, and they have been the stand-outs over the past two weeks. Toomua was man of the match with his hattrick of tries against the Force, while Speight was man of the match against the Chiefs. The wing has brought much needed extra thrust to the Brumbies backline, and perhaps they surprised the outgoing champs with their willingness to use that strength by running the ball in the early stages of the game.

The Brumbies first phase play was also a lot better than it has been during the opening half hour, and if they continue their improvement that could be another area where the Waratahs might find them a different proposition in the semifinal in comparison to when last the two teams met.

What adds interest to the two semifinals is the revenge element that has been added to them. The Brumbies do have a score to settle with the Waratahs after their big defeat straight after the June break, and the Crusaders even more so with the Sharks, who of course beat them while down to 14 men for most of the May league match between the two teams.

The Sharks’ win in that match was an historic one as it broke a long drought for South African teams in Christchurch. More than that though, the Crusaders, who have had key players such as Kieran Read and Dan Carter come back since that game, will have felt particularly embarrassed about the fact they were shown up in their own backyard by a side down to 14 men. It did raise question marks about their temperament.

For the Sharks, there is the knowledge that they have won there this season, and perhaps the narrowness of their win over the Highlanders will be helpful to them as it will confirm their underdog status. There is nothing that the Sharks enjoy more than being written off, and the strong bond between those players who have spent many years together will come through at this time.

The Sharks should be concerned though about the defensive vulnerabilities exposed by the Highlanders, and they will know that the Crusaders are a much better allround side than the one they beat at Kings Park. The Sharks got home only because of their vast superiority at forward, with the Highlanders conceding penalties at almost every scrum.

That helped the Sharks with their exit strategies and also gave them confidence in their territory game in that they knew that every time a set-piece was formed in Highlanders territory there was a chance for a three pointer. Interestingly enough, the side that during the league phase, when bonus points were on the line, didn’t chase tries, chose to do so in this game. There were times when the Sharks looked a little unsure what to do, and maybe lost a bit of composure at times. They will need to be more clear on their strategies if they are to win in Christchurch, and you don’t get the feeling that the forwards will be able to bail them out against the Crusaders like they did against the Highlanders.

Still, there was a lot of determination and commitment shown by the Sharks in the second half, and those were the ingredients that got them home last time they were in Christchurch. So don’t bet all your possessions against them being able to do something special.

WEEKEND PLAY-OFF RESULTS:

Brumbies 32 / 30 Chiefs
Cell C Sharks 31 / 27 Highlanders