Rugby: Blues, Chiefs travel for crucial matches

Rene Ranger has been in strong attacking form for the Blues. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand's northern-most sides leap the ditch for matches that threaten to make or break their Super 14 rugby season at the competition's halfway mark this weekend.

The Chiefs face the ACT Brumbies in Canberra tomorrow night while the Blues lock horns with the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney 24 hours later as they try to improve their mid-table perches against Australian opponents also rated in the "fringe playoff contender" category.

Staying home are two New Zealand sides sadly out of touch. The 12th-placed Highlanders chase just their second success of the season against the winless Lions in Dunedin to kick-start week seven tomorrow while the Hurricanes are out to snap their South African none-from-three nightmare against more foe from the Republic, the Sharks, on Saturday.

The Chiefs have had a bye week to reflect on their two-loss trot and are promising an improved showing up front to conjure just their third win in nine visits to Canberra.

Back in the mix is bruising No 8 Sione Lauaki, whose roller-coaster start to the campaign has included a short stint as captain, a two-week suspension for a dangerous tackle and a guilty plea in a Hamilton court this week to a charge of assault.

Flanker Liam Messam returns from injury while the lethal Chiefs backline is at full strength and will need space to operate against a Brumbies side who have won nine of their last 10 matches at home.

Adding emotion to the Brumbies' effort will be the return of former Wallabies fullback Julian Huxley, who is back on the bench two years after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumour.

The fourth-placed Waratahs are nearly as hard to topple on home turf -- having won 13 of their last 16 in Sydney. Their last two home fixtures against the Auckland-based Blues have been 37-16 and 43-9 whoppings although the recent form of the Blues suggests such an outcome won't be repeated.

They were bristling with attacking options in last week's 39-34 defeat of the Brumbies and coach Pat Lam can't find room for returning All Blacks backs Luke McAlister and Anthony Tuitavake, pinning his hopes on centre Rene Ranger maintaining his outrageous attacking form.

The smarting Hurricanes welcome back fullback Cory Jane from a head knock and will hope that can help solve their messy dealing with high balls that let them down so badly in last week's 19-18 loss to the Bulls in Pretoria.

Halfback Piri Weepu remains benched behind the in-form Tyson Keats at halfback against a Sharks outfit who finally broke their duck last week in beating the Highlanders.

That loss left the southern men contemplating another season of battling in the nether regions of the competition and coach Glenn Moore coming under pressure over his position in local media.

A loss to a Lions side who regard defence as an optional extra would surely leave Moore with little room to move at the negotiation table when his contract expires this year.

Meanwhile, much interest will centre on the travel form of the competition-leading Bulls, who open their four-match Australasian tour against the last-placed Western Force in Perth on Sunday morning (NZT).

The Force managed their first point of the season last week in a bonus point loss to the Waratahs so may struggle to match the rampant Bulls, who can open up a gap on the second-placed Stormers and third-placed Crusaders, who both have byes.

The weekend's other match sees the Queensland Reds chasing their first run of three straight wins in six years when they face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday morning (NZT).

- NZPA