Early pace setters, the Bulls, return to action this week after enjoying a bye last weekend. However, the major change is that they are on the road and the big question remains whether or not they can produce the same form in Australasia.

The Hurricanes certainly would like to inflict the Bulls' first loss, while the Cheetahs will be desperate to get their first win of the season against the Highlanders on Saturday. The big New Zealand derby between the Chiefs and Blues should also produce some cracking rugby.

iafrica.com previews the action...

Friday March 20
 
Hurricanes v Bulls
(Westpac Stadium, Wellington - 19.35, 06.35 GMT)

The next five weeks will determine whether the Bulls can live up to their early season form.

Both sides are coming off the bye and it will be interesting to see what impact that has, as both had built up strong momentum prior to the break. 

Despite sitting out last weekend, neither side really lost any ground in the championship standings, with the Bulls remaining on top of the log while the Hurricanes are fifth, just two points outside of the semifinal positions.

Ludeke said the Bulls are bracing themselves for an extremely physical encounter and he believes the Hurricanes are currently the in-form New Zealand franchise.

"The Hurricanes are a well balanced team and they have adapted splendidly to the new ELV’s," Ludeke said in the build-up to the clash.

"They know exactly what they want to do and we all know they are extremely dangerous from broken play. They are all great athletes and we are preparing ourselves for a huge challenge."

In two separate stints as boss of the Johannesburg-based Cats, Ludeke's teams lost all nine matches played in Australia and New Zealand, meaning that he starts off his fourth Super Rugby tour with an unflattering 0 and 13 record. And if the Bulls are to return from their tour still positioned as semi-final contenders, this is a record he must improve.

The Bulls' only other success on the road in this rivalry came at Napier in 2003 when they won 46-34 in what was just Colin Cooper’s second match in charge of the 'Canes.
 
Ma'a Nonu and Rodney So'oialo are the Hurricanes' only survivors from that day, while just Victor Matfield and Pedrie Wannenburg remain of the Bulls.
 
Recent results:
 
2008: Hurricanes 50-22 Bulls Pretoria
2007: Hurricanes 17-9  Bulls Wellington
2006: Hurricanes 26-23 Bulls Pretoria
2005: Hurricanes 12-21 Bulls Wellington

iafrica.com Prediction: Frans Ludeke is yet to win a Super Rugby match in New Zealand and we think this statistic will remain intact this weekend as the Hurricanes will should have a slight edge to win by at least six points.
 
Teams:

Hurricanes: 15 Tamati Ellison, 14 Zac Guildford , 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Piri Weepu, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Rodney So'oialo (captain), 7 Scott Waldrom, 6 Karl Lowe, 5 Jason Eaton/Bryn Evans, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 John Schwalger.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Jacob Ellison, 18 Bryn Evans/Api Naikatini, 19 Faifili Levave, 20 Willie Ripia, 21 Jason Kawau, 22 David Smith.

Bulls: TBC

Referee: Matt Goddard (Aus)
Touch judges: Garratt Williamson (NZ), Josh Noonan (NZ)
TMO: Mike Frazer (NZ)

Saturday March 21:
 
Highlanders v Cheetahs
(Carisbrook Stadium, Dunedin 19.35, 06.35 GMT)
 
When the season draw was released, many may have looked at this match as a potential wooden-spoon decider.

However, the Highlanders have proven to themselves to more than capable opposition, while the Cheetahs are the team to have staked a solid claim for the wooden spoon.

The Highlanders have won all three matches between the two sides since the Cheetahs entered Super Rugby in 2006, although they have all been close.

The Cheetahs had a terrible start to their Super 14 campaign this year and they certainly weren't helped by the draw either. The Bloemfontein outfit will only get their first home game after seven rounds of Super 14 rugby.

The Highlanders will see this match as critical to their hopes of moving up the table, while the Cheetahs have been eyeing this game to get a positive result on tour.

Highlanders flank Adam Thomson, who's been a standout in a pretty competitive Highlanders pack this campaign, said they've heard the chat from the Cheetahs camp and they don't like being targeted as anybody's banker.

"We've heard through the grapevine that the Cheetahs are targeting the Highlanders as a must-win on their tour," said the All Black. "So that's a challenge that goes directly to us," he told Rugbyheaven New Zealand.

"It's a crucial point of the competition where we must get the win, get ourselves four points, five if possible, and get ourselves back in this race."

"When you're pointed out as a target on a tour, that's really throwing the challenge out to you guys," said Thomson.

"We've taken that one on the chin and it's really pumped us up to get out there on our home turf and not be rolled over."

Recent results:

2008: Highlanders 31-28 Cheetahs Bloemfontein
2007: Highlanders 21-17 Cheetahs Invercargill 
2006: Highlanders 17-12 Cheetahs Bloemfontein

iafrica.com Prediction: The Cheetahs touring party will be desperate for the win, but they will be even more desperate to 'restart' their campaign in South Africa. As many other teams have found out this season the 'House of pain' has lived up to its hype of being a tough venue. Therefore the Highlanders should ease past the Cheetahs by at least 12 points.
 
Highlanders: TBC
 
Cheetahs:15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Danwel Demas, 13 Corne Uys, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Fabian Juries, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Hendro Scholtz (captain), 7 Francois Uys, 6 Heinrich Brussöw, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Wayne van Heerden, 3 Bees Roux, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez
Replacements:16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Kobus Calldo, 18 Nico Breedt, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Hanno Coetzee.
 
Referee: Paul Marks (Aus)
Touch judges: Keith Brown (NZ), Vinny Munro (NZ)
TMO: Shane McDermott (NZ)

Chiefs v Blues
(Waikato Stadium, Hamilton - 19.35, 06.35 GMT)

While the Chiefs have won five of 13 in this rivalry overall, their most recent success – which was the last of a three match winning sequence against the Blues – was achieved 30-9 at Eden Park three years ago.

The Blues’ only two losses away to the Chiefs in Super Rugby were sustained in 2001: 16-34 to a John Mitchell-coached outfit at Rotorua, and 9-18 at Hamilton four years later.

Last week’s six-try, 46-12, drubbing of the Cheetahs moved the Blues into the top four. It also lifted them into top spot on the try-scoring standings – seven tries above this weekend’s rivals.

The Chiefs, however, are the more frugal on defence; having allowed eight tries less to be scored against them than have the Blues. Only three teams have conceded less than the Chiefs’ nine tries.

Chiefs skipper Mills Muliaina returned to duty last Saturday, making his first appearance since the opening weekend. All Black No 8 Sione Lauaki also resumed off the bench as the Chiefs edged the Highlanders for the sixth straight year.

Recent results:

2008: Chiefs 14-32 Blues Auckland
2007: Chiefs 11-18 Blues Hamilton
2006: Chiefs 30-9  Blues Auckland
2005: Chiefs 18-9Blues  Hamilton

iafrica.com Prediction: Derbies are always tough games to call but we think the Chiefs, at home, should beat the Blues by at least eight points.

Teams:

Chiefs: TBC

Blues: TBC

Referee: Mark Lawrence (SA)
Touch judges:Garratt Williamson (NZ), Pro Legoete (SA)
TMO: Ben Skeen(NZ)

365