Rugby: Big weekend for Chiefs, Stormers and Brumbies

The Chiefs end their regular season with all-New Zealand matches against the Blues, Highlanders, Crusaders and Hurricanes. Photo / Getty Images.

The Chiefs forwards have spoken of their excitement at the physical challenge the Bulls will present in Hamilton tomorrow night, and the South Africans will be happy to oblige.

Like the front-running Chiefs, equal top with the Stormers, the Bulls have plenty to play for. They are in fourth position overall but are desperate to top their conference, or even better make the top two overall so they qualify for a home semifinal without having to play a qualifier. Teams ranked three to six must play qualifiers to earn the right to play an away semifinal against one of the top two teams.

The Bulls at home in Pretoria are a tough prospect at semifinal time - ask the Crusaders following their defeats in 2009 and 2010 - and would like that to continue.

"When you are playing in this competition you should actually have a home semifinal to give yourself the best chance to also secure a home final,'' captain Pierre Spies said.

"The competition is of such a nature that you have to take it game by game, but it remains at the back of your head that you would like to have that home semifinal.''

The Bulls' default setting is kick-chase but they could have to modify that against the dangerous counter-attacking threats among the Chiefs, and Spies predicted Dave Rennies' men would prefer to run, rather than kick, the ball back.

The Chiefs have rung the changes since their 42-27 loss against the Reds in Brisbane a fortnight ago. They had the bye in the weekend to lick their wounds which has allowed prop Ben Afeaki, returning from a broken forearm suffered in round one, extra time to get right.

Jackson Willison replaces the injured Richard Kahui at centre but the Chiefs will miss the All Black - they struggled without him in Brisbane and he is the perfect man to have outside the flamboyant Sonny Bill Williams.

The Bulls also come into the game at Waikato Stadium having had their good form disrupted by a loss. The Highlanders beat them at their own game in Dunedin last weekend and it will be interesting to see how the Chiefs tight five cope with their opposites, described as "massive'' by co-captain Liam Messam.

All three of the top teams will have their title credentials tested this weekend.

Saturday night's match at Canberra between the Australian conference leading Brumbies and resurgent Reds is likely to be a defining one for the home side.

They showed plenty of flair in their 37-25 victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington last weekend, but also patience. There was no panicking when the found themselves four points down with 30 minutes to go.

For the Reds, Will Genia is in ominous form at halfback after a slow start and his mate Quade Cooper safely played the first half of the victory over the Lions last weekend following his recovery from a knee injury. Brumbies flanker Michael Hooper, lucky to be playing after escaping suspension for a tip tackle on Victor Vito, will have his hands full.

The Stormers travel to Durban to play the Sharks early on Sunday New Zealand time, with questions remaining about their attacking ability.

They struggled to dispatch the Waratahs 19-13 in Cape Town last weekend and have the fourth worst attacking record in the competition.

In the other New Zealand games, the Hurricanes, their play-off hopes dwindling thanks to their suspect defence, host the Rebels on Saturday and the Highlanders will get the chance to prepare for stiffer opposition against the Crusaders next weekend with a run against the Blues in Auckland on Saturday night.