Andrew Austin: Magpie brigade spice up big one

The Super Rugby final this weekend is shaping up to be one of the best we have seen.

It is good to see two teams - the Chiefs and Sharks - who fully deserve to be there. Both showed guts and determination to claw their way into the final and it is fitting that the two teams that wanted it the most have got there.

Both teams will be hungry going into this game because neither have won the title before and both will back themselves to do the job.

I could not personally have wished for a better final because I have an interest in both teams. The Chiefs are our team, because a number of our Magpies are there and the whole of Hawke's Bay will be backing them. The link I have with the Sharks is that I studied in Durban many years ago. Back in those days, the Sharks were known as the Banana Boys, which does not quite have the same fearsome ring to it.

The Chiefs probably have the edge going into the final thanks to home ground advantage and because the Sharks will have travelled to Australasia twice in two weeks.

This year's competition certainly has had its moments of drama and excitement, culminating in the elimination at the weekend of two of the more fancied teams - the Crusaders and the Stormers. The Crusaders are such old hands at winning the title (seven times) that not many people thought they would be knocked out before the final, but the Chiefs did it on Friday night. The Stormers, on the other hand, always flatter to deceive. They topped the log after the round robin section and were poised to have a home final if they managed to beat the Sharks. They did not and once again will be left wondering what they need to do to advance through the knock-out stages of the tournament.

It is good to have a change though, because it has been the same teams year after year - Crusaders, Bulls, Reds. At least now we will have a new champion and, who knows, it could be the start of a new era of domination for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs have a good young team and the coaching team certainly know what they are doing. Dave Rennie has really slotted into the coaching role well, while Wayne Smith seems to have brought his winning ways from the All Blacks with him.

Hopefully the Magpies in the team will step up and show what they are made of.

Referee Steve Walsh will oversee the grand final, APNZ reports. "Steve thoroughly deserves this appointment to the final, having been arguably our most consistent performer in the middle, throughout this competition," Sanzar game manager Lyndon Bray said.