Competition for Wallaby test jerseys will intensify a bitter rivalry between the New South Wales Waratahs and ACT Brumbies, who meet in a Super 12 rugby match in Sydney tomorrow.
Only eight points separate the first and seventh teams in the championship entering the 10th of 12 rounds and the Brumbies-Waratahs match is one with strong semifinals significance.
The Brumbies lead the competition with 30 points and can all but clinch a semifinal with a win. The Waratahs, sixth-placed and three points out of the top four, need a win to stay in the chase.
Matches today between the Waikato Chiefs and South Africa's Stormers, tomorrow between the Canterbury Crusaders and the Bulls, Hurricanes and Highlanders, Sharks and Reds and Cats and Blues will all influence top-four placings.
Only the Reds and Cats, in 11th and 12th places on the table, are without a mathematical chance of semifinal qualification in the regular season's final stretch.
The Reds' elimination has heightened the importance of the annual meeting of the Brumbies and Waratahs -- Wallaby coach Eddie Jones will draw most of his test squad from those sides.
The Waratahs, who snapped a four-match losing streak with a 49-31 win over the Hurricanes last week, have several new players on the fringe of test selection.
Rivalry between the teams is intense and Jones' interest in the match will make individual clashes more important.
"There's a lot at stake for us," said Canberra and Wallabies hooker Jeremy Paul.
"If we win this game this weekend we could probably get ourselves a home semi, knock out the Waratahs and be ahead in the Australian selections."
New Zealand's chance of having two teams in the semifinals rest largely with the Waikato Chiefs and four-time champions the Canterbury Crusaders.
The Chiefs, who host the Stormers at Hamilton, are fifth on the table: a point ahead of New South Wales and two points behind the fourth-placed Sharks.
Injuries have disrupted their preparation for the match but they will field a team close to full strength. Fullback Loki Crichton will miss the match with a ruptured knee ligament and former All Blacks center Keith Lowen is in doubt because of a hamstring injury.
All Blacks flanker Marty Holah trained Wednesday is likely to play, despite an injured knee.
The Stormers have made one change to the team which crushed defending champions the Auckland Blues 51-23 at Auckland last week, naming Gavin Hume at inside center in place of De Wet Barry.
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