All Blacks Richie McCaw and Dan Carter are likely to play their last home matches for the Crusaders when they meet the Queensland Reds at the start of the 13th round of Super Rugby today.
It is the Crusaders’ last match in Christchurch in the regular season. They are to play the Hurricanes at their secondary home ground at Nelson in round 16 and, currently in ninth spot, have little chance of a home playoff.
Carter, who is in his 13th season with the Crusaders, is joining French club Racing Metro after the World Cup, which begins in September.
McCaw, who has accumulated more than 110 Super Rugby caps across 15 seasons, has yet to make a definitive statement on his future, but is considered likely to retire after the World Cup.
Carter, the world-record scorer in Test rugby, has been kept out of the flyhalf role this season by fellow All Black Colin Slade and is to start again at inside center. Slade is also likely playing his last match in Christchurch before heading overseas, as is fullback Tom Taylor.
McCaw is to start on the bench as he returns from a head injury. The New Zealand Test captain says the Crusaders must ignore any emotional elements of today’s match to concentrate on cementing their bid for a place in the playoffs.
The Crusaders are third in the New Zealand conference behind the Hurricanes and Chiefs, and five points outside the top six in the overall standings. Today’s match against the 14th-placed Reds is the easiest of their remaining games.
They have a bye next weekend, then a tough finish against defending champions the New South Wales Waratahs, the Hurricanes and the Australian conference-leading ACT Brumbies.
McCaw said it is too early to dismiss the Crusaders’ playoff chances.
“We’ve still got a [lot of the] season to go yet so you don’t want to start thinking like that,” he said. “Stranger things have happened. We could have another game back here if we do it right.”
Carter was also trying to keep emotions in check ahead of a crucial match for the seven-time champions.
“Being a Cantabrian and growing up in Christchurch, to play for Canterbury and the Crusaders has meant so much to me,” he said. “To think it is probably going to be my last game on home soil means it will be a pretty emotional time.”
The top spots in the Australian and South African conferences could hinge on the clash in Cape Town tomorrow between the Stormers and Brumbies.
The Brumbies lost 13-10 last weekend to the Waratahs, meaning their lead over New South Wales shrank to one point.
The Waratahs have the chance to move ahead this round when they travel to Perth to face the last-placed Western Force, although they were beaten 25-13 by the Force in round one.
The Stormers gave up a short-lived lead in South Africa with a 25-17 loss last weekend to the Cheetahs after beating the Bulls in the previous round. The Bulls have a bye this weekend and the Stormers need a win to keep pace.
The top-ranked Hurricanes are at home to the 11th-placed Sharks tomorrow and can stretch their lead in New Zealand, while the second-placed Chiefs have a bye.
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