Defending champions Auckland are among six teams whose Super 12 rugby semifinal chances depend on the outcome of their matches and other results in the final round of the regular season this weekend.
The Blues, whose semifinal chances have improved after wins in the past two weeks in South Africa, need five points from tomorrow's match against the Otago Highlanders to retain a chance of defending their title.
Two teams, the first-place ACT Brumbies and four-time champions the Canterbury Crusaders, in second place, have booked semifinal places. The remaining two playoff spots will be contested by six teams which have at least mathematical chances of qualification, several of which must depend on the results of matches other than their own.
The Waikato Chiefs and South Africa's Stormers are third and fourth on the table.
The Stormers, who have played their last four matches on the road, will be away from home again when they play the Sharks at Durban Saturday.
The Sharks, with 26 points and a home advantage, will mount a long-range challenge for the playoffs from eighth place on a congested table.
The Chiefs play the Brumbies at Hamilton on Saturday. The Brumbies might already be looking towards the playoffs and could be keen to avoid injuries and other disruptions as the semis approach.
The Chiefs have never reached the semifinals and were not given a chance this season but have shown unshakable nerve in recent games and a perennial ability to surprise.
"We've come down to the last game and we've got something to play for, which has happened in the past," Michael Collins said.
The Stormers, whose fourth place and 28 points make their semifinal challenge particularly brittle, have signaled a policy of all-out attack in their match with the enterprising Sharks.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was