Four rounds left in Super Rugby and four of the five New Zealand franchises will make the playoffs for a second successive year under the controversial conference format.
Radio Sport Rugby Editor Nigel Yalden has been gazing into his crystal ball to see how the final month of the regular season will play out for the Kiwi teams.
CRUSADERS - Played 12 Won 12 Lost 0 - 54 points
Maximum Possible Points - 69
Remaining Matches:
•Saturday 27 May vs. Rebels @ AAMI Park, Melbourne
•Saturday 3 June vs. Highlanders @ AMI Stadium, Christchurch
•Saturday 15 July vs. Hurricanes @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Prediction
The Crusaders will roll through their supposed bogey team with a bonus point win over the Rebels this weekend before defending the castle with a tight win over their Southern neighbours a week later.
After the international window, Razor's men will suffer their only loss of the regular season, earning one competition point as the Hurricanes get them in the return leg of their two-game set this season.
Finishing Points - 64
Likely Qualifying Final Opponent: Highlanders in Christchurch
NB - The Lions will score bonus points wins over Kings and Sunwolves before beating Sharks in Durban to finish with 65 points, thus gaining home field advantage through the playoffs ... sorry.
HURRICANES - Played 11 Won 9 Lost 2 - 43 points
Maximum Possible Points - 63
Remaining Matches:
•Saturday 27 May vs. Bulls @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
•Saturday 3 June vs. Force @ nib Stadium, Perth
•Friday 9 June vs. Chiefs @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington
•Saturday 15 July vs. Crusaders @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Prediction
The defending champions will return from their road trip ten points better off than when they left before they exact revenge for a round 3 loss in Hamilton by thumping the Chiefs for a third consecutive bonus point win in a row then get the square up win in their two game series with the Crusaders to finish round robin play
Finishing Points - 62
Likely Qualifying Final Opponent: Brumbies in Canberra
CHIEFS - Played 11 Won 9 Lost 2 - 43 points
Maximum Possible Points - 63
Remaining Matches:
•Friday 26 May vs. Blues @ Eden Park, Auckland
•Saturday 3 June vs. Waratahs @ FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
•Friday 9 June vs. Chiefs @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington
•Saturday 15 July vs. Brumbies @ FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Prediction
The Chiefs will go win, loss, win, loss to finish the regular season. They will nab a bonus point in a loss to the desperate Blues this Friday night, before unloading on the Waratahs in Hamilton a fortnight later. They'll cop it like a chook in Wellington before the break, then beat the Brumbies in the Tron and continue Dave Rennie's impressive streak of making the playoffs in every year during his coaching tenure at Ruakura.
Finishing Points - 54
Likely Qualifying Final Opponent: Stormers in Cape Town
HIGHLANDERS - Played 12 Won 9 Lost 3 - 41 points
Maximum Possible Points - 56
Remaining Matches:
•Saturday 27 May vs. Waratahs @ Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
•Saturday 3 June vs. Crusaders @ AMI Stadium, Christchurch
•Friday 14 July vs. Reds @ Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Prediction
After easily accounting for the Waratahs in Dunedin, the Highlanders will head up State Highway 1 for a rare afternoon game against the Crusaders, in which both sides will be superb but with the home side getting the chocolates; the poor old Reds will be destroyed after the break.
Finishing Points - 52
Likely Qualifying Final Opponent: Crusaders in Christchurch
BLUES - Played 12 Won 6 Lost 6 - 31 points
Maximum Possible Points - 46
Remaining Matches:
•Friday 26 May vs. Chiefs @ Eden Park, Auckland
•Friday 2 June vs. Reds @ Apia Park, Apia
•Saturday 15 July vs. Sunwolves @ Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
Prediction
The Blues come back from South Africa to upset the Chiefs in a thriller, before finishing the season with bonus point victories in Apia and Tokyo.
Finishing Points - 45 (misses playoffs)
FINAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS (based on predictions)
1.Crusaders W 14 L 1 64 pts
2.Hurricanes W 13 L 2 62 pts
3.Chiefs W 11L 4 54 pts
4.HighlandersW 11L 4 52 pts
5.BluesW 9L 6 46 pts
NIGEL YALDEN IS THE RUGBY EDITOR FOR RADIO SPORT & NEWSTALK ZB
