Try-scoring machine Waisake Naholo is poised return for the Otago Highlanders to spice up this weekend’s showdown when Super Rugby’s defending champions take on this year’s pacesetters the Waikato Chiefs, while the Canterbury Crusaders will be chasing a bonus point win over the Queensland Reds, who have axed Japanese star fullback Ayumu Goromaru from their 23-man squad.
In South Africa, the Sharks and Bulls are poised to pounce on their conference leaderships.
As the tournament goes into round 11 of the 17-round regular season, Naholo has been penciled in by the Highlanders for his first run since he was injured in the opening game against the Auckland Blues at the end of February.
Photo: AFP
The All Blacks wing, Super Rugby’s top try-scorer last year with 13, injured the same leg that saw him capture world headlines last year when he used a traditional herbal treatment to treat a fracture before the World Cup.
Without him this year, the Highlanders have still fashioned an impressive six wins from nine games to lie fourth in the packed New Zealand conference. The Chiefs have won eight of nine, but have been off the boil in recent weeks.
While they will not welcome facing a rampant Naholo on the wing, Highlanders assistant coach Tony Brown is excited by the prospect.
“He seems to be in pretty good shape and is confident he can get out there,” Brown said. “It will be exciting for us to get him back.”
Keeping Naholo fueled with possession will be the task of scrumhalf Aaron Smith. Smith will himself be pressured by the Chiefs’ Brad Weber, who is rapidly forging a claim to be recognized as the All Blacks next No. 9.
The Hurricanes, looking to back up last week’s 50-17 thumping of Africa 2 conference leaders the Golden Lions, have plenty of inside knowledge ahead of their clash against the Sharks in Durban. Coach Chris Boyd and assistant John Plumtree have both been involved with the Sharks, with Plumtree sacked as the Durban side’s head coach three years ago.
A win for the Sharks, after they narrowly lost to the Chiefs 24-22 in New Zealand last week, would see them draw level in their conference with the Lions, who have a bye.
Africa 1 conference leaders the Western Stormers also sit out this week, giving the Northern Bulls a chance to overtake them when they play the ACT Brumbies in Canberra.
The Bulls have kept the same side who beat the Western Force last week to move one point behind the Stormers, while the Brumbies are looking to arrest a two-match losing streak after going down to the Highlanders and Crusaders.
If the Bulls win in Canberra today, then the NSW Waratahs will fancy their chances of moving top of the Australia conference when they play the Central Cheetahs in Sydney tomorrow.
The Waratahs go into the weekend equal on points with the Brumbies and only two behind the Melbourne Rebels, who have a bye.
The Crusaders, five points behind the Chiefs, but with a game in hand, start a three-week period without suspended wing Nemani Nadolo when they host the Reds.
“To play any of the Kiwi teams is always a step up in intensity, but the Crusaders in Christchurch is a fantastic challenge for the group and will give us a fair indication of how much progress we’ve made,” Reds co-coach Matt O’Conner said.
Johnny McNicholl comes in for Nadolo in one of five changes to the Crusaders, who are giving fringe players a run, but have an insurance policy on a bench with five All Blacks.
In the remaining matches, the Sunwolves are at home in Tokyo against the Western Force with both sides looking for their second win, while the Auckland Blues host the Southern Kings.
The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future. Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest
‘HIGH STANDARD’: The Thunder are on track for a Finals-Cup double after they scored 22 three-pointers in equaling the best 25-game start to a season in NBA history The Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday bagged a 16th straight victory, thrashing the Phoenix Suns 138-89 to romp into an NBA Cup semi-final clash with the San Antonio Spurs, who stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119. NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points to lead the reigning NBA champions Thunder, who improved to 24-1 to equal the best 25-game start to a season in league history. They dominated from start to finish to book their place in the final four of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, where they are tomorrow to take on the Spurs. The New York Knicks and
TOP OF THE TABLE: Evann Guessand put the visitors ahead early in the game and Flavius Daniliuc equalized before Youri Tielemans got the winner in the second half Aston Villa on Thursday extended their winning streak to eight games in all competitions with a 2-1 victory against Basel in the UEFA Europa League to secure at least a playoff spot. Villa were tied with Olympique Lyonnais, who beat Go Ahead Eagles 2-1, and Midtjylland, 1-0 winners over Genk, atop the standings of the second-tier European competition on 15 points with five wins from six games. They have bounced back from a poor start to the season and are third in the Premier League, including a 2-1 victory over leaders Arsenal on Saturday. At St Jakob-Park in Basel, summer signing Evann Guessand
Tony Jefferson intercepted a Jalen Hurts pass in overtime to give the Los Angeles Chargers a 22-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday in an NFL thriller between playoff contenders. Justin Herbert, playing a week after surgery on his broken left (non-throwing) hand, withstood a career-high seven sacks to throw for 139 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers. Cameron Dicker kicked five field goals, including the 54-yard game winner in overtime. The Chargers defenders forced Hurts to throw four interceptions and surrender a fumble for a career-worst five turnovers as the Eagles fell to 8-5 with a third
RSS