Photos: Super 14 final - 10 to watchKEY POINTS:
A former South African whose Wallabies career may be over looms as a major impediment to the Crusaders annexing a seventh Super rugby crown in Christchurch on Saturday night.
Dan Vickerman will be a central figure when the Waratahs seek a rare win on AMI Stadium, the experienced
lock is capable of creating havoc on the opposition's throw - as evidenced by the Sharks' semifinal capitulation in Sydney last weekend.
Vickerman regularly rules the restart, regardless of whether it is his call.
During the Waratahs 28-13 win last Saturday, the South Africans only kicked the ball out twice so Vickerman had to settle on disrupting the Sharks throw.
Ultimately the Waratahs snaffled the Sharks' lineout ball five times - a strike rate that had hooker Bismark Du Plessis baffled.
The Waratahs' dominance of the lineout negated the Sharks' plan to target Waratahs five-eighth Kurtley Beale in defence.
"They clearly had some set plays they wanted to run against us, just from the way they set up and the way they had their structure," coach Ewen McKenzie told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
"They had a different backrow. They had a ball carrying No.7 (Epi Taione). Clearly, the job was to run at Kurtley and he didn't get the ball.
"We upset their lineout and upset the rhythm of their set piece so they couldn't get clean shots at us so we took some of the advantage away from them."
The Waratahs will be looking to do likewise against Ali Williams and Brad Thorn in the final - a match that could be Vickerman's last as he eyes a move to England.
The Waratahs, who arrived in Christchurch yesterday, believe the loss of Corey Flynn (broken arm) will prove beneficial in the quest to build enough possession to undermine the title favourites.
Flynn has been replaced by Ti'i Paulo - who impressed in the semifinal victory over the Hurricanes as the former All Black's replacement.
But there is concern if Paulo can't last the distance considering rookie Steve Folau is expected to be on the bench when the Crusaders team is named today.
McKenzie thought Paulo, had huge boots to fill.
"He (Flynn) reads the game very well, he initiates a lot of key plays for them and adds a lot of momentum. So he's a pretty big loss."
Waratahs flanker Rocky Elsom added: "Paulo is a good player, but the pressure will be on him because of throwing into the lineout.
"We will look to put a lot of pressure on him. Vicks (Vickerman) will be trouble for them if he's not up to the throwing.
"It's not just a couple of throws, but getting it right for the whole game.
"Once you miss a few throws you start to second guess yourself. The pressure obviously built on Bismark. He missed a couple of throws and then he couldn't hit the side of a barn."
- NZPA
