Super 14 Odds Shift as Bulls Charge Home

The day started off exceptionally well for the Crusaders, beating the Reds 32-12 in Christchurch on Friday.

The Crusaders hopes of starring in the play-offs are highly likely, while the Reds, which are at a dismal second to last on the log, now have to face off the Hurricanes in next week's round-up. The Reds are hopeful that their three top players will be fit enough to challenge the hungry Hurricanes, who are determined to score maximum points, to guarantee themselves a place in the semi-final.

Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg was alive with celebration on Friday, as the Lions took down the Highlanders with a final score of 27-22.

The first half left the home team supporters in despair, as the Lions left the field 5-19 down. And the second half didn't start off much better. The Highlanders, frantic to take victory, attacked the Lions in their own territory, but it proved fruitless, and the Lions proudly marched off the field, with a hard earned fourth win of the season, and one place away from the top 10 of the log.

Saturday started with an almighty clash between two superb teams, the Chiefs and Hurricanes in Hamilton. Both teams were fighting for the top position on the log, but the Chiefs proved to be the stronger team, and walked away with a 16-8 victory, placing them one below the leaders, the Bulls.

But the game seemed to be in the Hurricanes pocket in the first half, maintaining possession and territory, but the Chiefs literally turned the game around in the second half, and took the upper hand, walking away with the crucial victory.

The day wasn't as good for the Blues in Canberra on Saturday. They were beaten 37-15 to the Brumbies, which saw them move to 9th on the log, while the Brumbies move to 5th position, making them a viable contender for the semi-final play-offs.

This is the third loss in a row for the Blues, whose hopes of seeing the semi-finals are all but lost.

The typically pulsating Absa Stadium in Durban was unusually somber on Saturday, as the Sharks were thrown out of the top standings on the log by the Waratahs, with a 16-12 loss.

The win for the 'Tahs, means that their chances of seeing the play-offs have now increased, leaving the Sharks needing a crucial bonus-point win over the Bulls this coming Saturday, in order to rescue their now slim play-off hopes.

No-one could hamper the festivities at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria that were to follow the 29-20 victory of the Bulls over the Cheetahs, placing the Bulls top of the log, and sure semi-final contenders of the 2009 tournament.

However, a revived Cheetahs side, wasn't about to be bullied, and their defense in the first half was outstanding. But it wasn't enough for the ambitious Bulls, and they took the game in the last 20 minutes, topping the log with a bonus point win.

The Stormers have finally returned to the 2009 Super 14 tournament – but a little too late. They played with determination and purpose against the Western Force, taking a nerve-racking 25-24 win in their final Super 14 home game of the season, at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

With the pressure of the play-offs taken off of their shoulders, both teams played a remarkable and enjoyable game, even though the outcome was pointless, as far as the play-offs go. But the Stormers managed to recapture the pride of their fans, which may have been lost in the duration of the 2009 season.

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