Rugby: Magpies flying south for winner

Waikato's Toby Lynn (L) is felled by Paul Williams of Auckland. Photo / Getty Images

Hawkes Bay will head south on Thursday morning aiming to make it third time lucky.

And coach Peter Russell is positively bullish that this time his team will advance to the Air New Zealand Cup final. They must beat defending champions Canterbury, shorn of their All Blacks, in a repeat of last year's last four showdown, on the same ground.

Wellington are in familiar territory too, hosting Ranfurly Shield-holders Southland, just as they did a year ago.

And Wellington can go one better than Hawkes Bay. They are pursuing a fourth successive appearance in the final, and hoping to break a losing streak from those deciders.

So how confident is Russell? Very.

"We've come too far over the last couple of years to let this slide, and I know the guys won't," he said.

It was twitchy viewing for a time on Saturday watching Waikato attempt to ankle tap his team with the semifinal line in sight.

Waikato needed a five-point win over Auckland in Hamilton to get ahead of Hawkes Bay on the table, but lost 26-18. Russell reckons he was fairly relaxed for much of the match.

"I always thought Auckland had the game under control," he said last night. "Waikato probably tried to get the five-point bonus before they'd actually played the game, and that was basically it.

"In comparison, against Northland (whom Hawkes Bay beat 32-13 on Friday night) we knew we had to get five points, but knew we had to win the game first."

Waikato, he said, were "quite reckless with the ball" and paid for it.

In 2007, Hawkes Bay got to the last four, before tumbling 38-3 to Auckland. Last year, it was in Christchurch that their season ended, 31-21. This time will be different, vowed Russell.

"We've learnt, and we've just got to make sure we nail this one, which I'm sure we will."

When Canterbury hung on to beat Hawkes Bay 27-20 in Napier a couple of weeks ago, they arrived with the heavy mob - All Blacks Richie McCaw, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Andy Ellis and Dan Carter were there.

This time, there are no All Blacks, and while in theory that should help Hawkes Bay's cause, Russell is wary.

"If you look at how we approached that week, it was a huge challenge for us against Canterbury. It could be to our detriment that they're not there, that we may take them lightly, but I know the guys won't."

Southland put Canterbury on notice with their rousing no-try 9-3 win to lift the shield last week. However Russell doubted there were any pointers for his team out of that night.

"No, you look for trends. That's the beauty of any competition, you can't judge on one-off games. Like our first performance against Auckland (a 47-13 shellacking). Everyone says one swallow doesn't make a summer."

Indeed, Hawkes Bay lost their way for a while, guilty of thinking individually rather than for the collective - "going through a daggy patch," as Russell colourfully put it - before winning six of their last seven round robin games. No one could argue Hawkes Bay's right to tilt again at the giant red and black windmill.

Wellington eased past Tasman to ensure home advantage, while Southland's biggest challenge will be planting feet back on terra firma after celebrating their shield win.

* Semifinal shakedown

The semifinals are identical to last year - Canterbury hosting Hawkes Bay on Friday night; Wellington at home to Southland on Saturday night.

Wellington are aiming to reach their fourth straight final. The previous three have been lost.

Hawkes Bay are in their third straight semifinal, but yet to make a final.

Southland are out to win the Air New Zealand Cup, to sit nicely alongside the Ranfurly Shield for the summer.

Canterbury are defending the title they won 7-6 over Wellington last year.