Friday 29 April 2016 11:39, UK
Defending Super Rugby champions the Highlanders face a crucial match against the Brumbies on Saturday as they attempt to halt a two-game losing streak.
One-point losses to the Reds and the Sharks have derailed the Highlanders' momentum, and the problems affecting the Dunedin-based side are not easily remediable.
Discipline has frayed and the early loss of centre Jason Emery to a red card played a major part in their defeat to the Sharks. Emery has been suspended for four weeks, compounding concern over selection consistency after recent injuries.
The Highlanders' game lacks structure and their policy of all-out attack would work more effectively if they based it on a solid set piece and field position.
The Brumbies need to rebuild after their 40-14 loss to the Crusaders, when they were overwhelmed at set pieces which limited their attack and disrupted defensive cohesion.
"We certainly need a lift out of the boys now," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "Losing two of our last three is certainly not a record that we're proud of."
Round 10 is likely to be crucial for several other teams clinging to the tail of the play-offs race, including the Waratahs, who steadied their campaign with a win over the Western Force after losing four of their five previous matches.
In the South African Conferences, the Bulls and Sharks have to make up ground on the Stormers and Lions respectively.
The Sharks have the toughest challenge of the round, taking on the competition-leading Chiefs, and they have rested Tendai Mtawarira for the New Plymouth contest.
"The win against the Highlanders was a great confidence boost," said Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold. "We are playing the best team in New Zealand this Friday and it's going to be a massive game for us.
"We have an opportunity to create history in New Zealand and we need to be clinical and take our chances."
The Bulls meet the Western Force in Perth and the Stormers are at home in Cape Town to the Waratahs.
The Johannesburg-based Lions host the Hurricanes, who also need to stimulate their play-offs challenge after last weekend's one-point loss to the Chiefs.
The Rebels can maintain their unexpected lead in Australia with a win in Auckland against the Blues, who are last in the New Zealand Conference.
Matches between the Reds and Cheetahs in Brisbane and the Jaguares and Kings in Buenos Aires are between teams also out of the play-offs race. There is small interest in seeing whether the Jaguares can bounce back from last weekend's humiliating loss to the Sunwolves.
