Rugby: Three NZ teams in semis

The Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes have qualified for the Super 14 playoffs. Photos / Getty Images

The last two champions in rugby's Super 14 - the Bulls and Canterbury Crusaders - meet in Pretoria on Sunday (NZT) in a repeat of the 2007 semifinal which led to the Bulls', and South Africa's, first and only title in the southern hemisphere tournament.

The Chiefs will make only their second semifinal appearance and their first at home when they host the Hurricanes in an all-New Zealand semifinal at Hamilton on Friday.

The semifinal matchups were decided during a tense final round of matches in which seven teams vied for four playoff spots and after which one South African and three New Zealand teams remained.

The Waratahs and Brumbies both spent time in the top four during the final round before being eliminated, leaving Australia without a semifinalist for only the third time in Super rugby's 14-year history.

The Bulls finished in first place at the end of the regular season after a 27-26 win over the Sharks in Durban, earning their second home semifinal in three years. In 2007, the Bulls beat the Crusaders 27-12 in Pretoria to advance to an all-South African final in which they beat the Sharks 20-19.

The Crusaders reclaimed the Super 14 title in 2008 and will now attempt to win the championship for their eighth time and via their 11th semifinal appearance in 14 years.

The Chiefs beat the Brumbies 10-7 on Friday to briefly go to the top of the table and ensure themselves a home semifinal, leaving the Brumbies clinging to fourth place and to a last chance of making the playoffs.

That chance evaporated hours later when the Waratahs beat the Lions 38-33 at Johannesburg to move into third place and bump the Brumbies out of the top four.

The Crusaders beat the Blues 15-13 in Auckland Saturday to clinch their semifinal place and the Waratahs dropped out of contention when the Hurricanes beat the Reds 37-28 in Brisbane, reclaiming third place and leaving the Crusaders fourth.

The Bulls started the round in first place and ended in the same position with their narrow win over the Sharks which knocked their South African rivals out of the semifinals. Though top four placings changed repeatedly through the final round - in which the largest winning margin in seven games was the Hurricanes' nine points over the Reds - the four semifinalists ended the round in the positions in which they started.

The Chiefs are the least-experienced of the semifinalists, having made the playoffs only once before, in 2004 when they were beaten by the Brumbies.

The Hurricanes may be relieved to have drawn the Chiefs, to whom they lost 16-8 two weeks ago. In their last four playoff appearances, the Hurricanes have been beaten by the Crusaders.

All Blacks first five-eighths Stephen Donald, who scored all the Chiefs points on Friday for the second straight match, said his team was not apprehensive about hosting a semifinal for the first time.

"We have no fears at all," said Donald, who scored a try and kicked a conversion and penalty. "The home semi is going to be pretty special. It's going to be a great night and we'll back ourselves."

Fullback Leon MacDonald, who retired last week from international rugby and will quit the Super 14 at the end of the season, kicked the Crusaders to a cliffhanging win over the Blues. MacDonald kicked four penalties, then a late drop goal which reclaimed the lead after the Blues had edged ahead with an Isaia Toeava try.

Coach Todd Blackadder said his team was more concerned about its must-win game against the Blues than the prospect of playing a semifinal in South Africa.

"We really thought (Saturday) was our biggest hurdle," Blackadder said. "When you play against a team that has nothing to lose and you get a hard-fought win, it gives you a psychological boost. I think we have a great chance."

In other weekend matches that had no bearing on the playoffs, the Stormers beat the Cheetahs 28-22 and the Western Force defeated the Highlanders 33-28.

The final round was bittersweet for the teams that came close to semifinal places. The Brumbies, most of all, ran down the curtain on a traumatic season marred by the tragic death in a South African traffic accident of lock Shawn Mackay.

The Canberra-based side won five of seven matches after Mackay's death in Durban.

"It's been a difficult season with so many highs and lows, but the way the guys have hung in there, you couldn't ask for any more," coach Andy Friend said.

- AP