Going into the final round of the 2014 Super 15, the table looks like this:
Probable finalists:
01. Waratahs 53
02. Crusaders 46
03. Sharks 46
Possible finalists:
04. Highlanders 42
05. Hurricanes (Season finished) 41
06. Brumbies 40
Potential finalists:
07. Force 40
08. Chiefs 40
09. Blues 36
No-hopers:
10. Bulls 33
11. Stormers 32
12. Reds 28
13. Lions 26
14. Cheetahs 24
15. Rebels 21
The only South African team in the finals will be the Sharks. This season has been one of the worst showings by the South African teams, with all the rest of the sides finishing lower than tenth.
The Waratahs will finish top of the overall table. The Sharks lost their chance at the top spot with their loss to the Cheetahs on Saturday – a big blow to their title aspirations.
The result of the Crusaders vs Highlanders match will decide the winner of the New Zealand conference. This will give the Sharks an indication of what they need to do to hopefully finish second overall (they are currently third).
If the Crusaders lose, the Sharks will simply have to beat the Stormers at Newlands to secure a home semi-final.
If the Crusaders win with a bonus-point, the Sharks will have to beat the Stormers with a bonus-point, plus win by a bigger margin than the Crusaders over the Highlanders (by at least 9 points more to be exact).
It looks like an uphill battle for the Sharks to secure a home semi-final given the recent form of the Stormers and the predicted wet conditions at Newlands on Saturday. Plus the Crusaders should beat the Highlanders well, especially since Dan Carter and Kieran Reid are back for Canterbury.
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