KEY POINTS:
Round 12 of rugby's Super 14 and the number crunchers are still working furiously.
There are numerous permutations floating around the composition of the top-four, especially the final two playoff spots with only the Crusaders and Blues seemingly home and hosed.
The former, currently first on points differential,
seem more secure and host the Hurricanes on Friday in a repeat of last year's final.
Second-placed Blues, also on 37 points, had their cage rattled last week by the Sharks who provided a prototype on how to beat the Auckland-based franchise.
The Blues face the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday morning (NZT) in the first of three away games to finish the season.
Their neighbours the Chiefs are in a three-way tussle with the Bulls and Brumbies to make fourth place their own, but have a tricky assignment in Hamilton on Saturday hosting the third-placed Sharks.
The Highlanders round out the New Zealand franchises in action with Saturday's match against the Waratahs in Sydney.
But if any bunch of supporters have cause to creep slightly closer to the edge of the couch this weekend, it will probably be the Blues.
Last week's 25-32 loss was a slight chink, but they face a potentially arduous road trip.
The Stormers are 12th with just four wins and should not pose too much of a threat for a Blues outfit who are expected to play All Blacks wing Joe Rokocoko in his first start this season.
The Blues are still comfortably placed for the playoffs, but want to retain some momentum in the final three rounds while pushing for a home semifinal.
A loss without any bonus points, coupled with a Sharks victory at Waikato Stadium, would dislodge them from second-place.
The machinations for the Crusaders are less perilous, even with the prospect of a rugged encounter at Jade Stadium.
Following tomorrow's match they play the Brumbies away then finish at home against the Chiefs.
Hurricanes' victories against the six-times champions have been few in recent years, with the Crusaders recording 10 wins to three.
Coach Robbie Deans made five changes to the starting line-up that beat the Highlanders 38-3, with wing Rico Gear trading places with Scott Hamilton and Rua Tipoki stepping in for second-five eighth Aaron Mauger who has a slight groin strain
The halfbacks continue their weekly rotation with Andrew Ellis getting the nod while three changes were made ion the pack.
Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper maintained the same 15 that beat the Cheetahs last week.
Last week's bonus point win has kept their semifinal hopes alive leaving them on 23 points, but anything but a full frontal assault combined with solid tactics could finally mean the end of their smouldering playoff hopes.
The Chiefs' chances are more buoyant, having profited of late from some high scoring matches while collecting bonus points from close losses early on.
They have won only four matches, four fewer than the Sharks, and two fewer than the chasing Bulls and Brumbies.
Coach Ian Foster made three changes for Saturday's game with veteran openside flanker Marty Holah returning, while Brendon Leonard, who scored a hat-trick in last week's 64-36 win over the Chiefs, was promoted to starting halfback.
Prop Simms Davison starts in the front row.
The Highlanders maintain a slim mathematical hope of playing past the round-robin phase, but rugby's thrashed cliche of "playing for pride" seems to be accurate here.
On 22 points, they face the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday and coach Greg Cooper has made seven changes for the game.
The most significant being the return from injury of halfback Jimmy Cowan who can continue his push for being the No 1 halfback in the country.
In other games this weekend the Brumbies host the Force in Canberra, the Cheetahs play the Reds a day later on Saturday while the Lions play the Bulls in Johannesburg on Sunday (NZT).
- NZPA
