Canes can show why they are the champions

Playoffs

The Hurricanes can show why they are the champions by overcoming a hard playoff schedule to claim back-to-back Super Rugby titles.

The Canes booked Friday's quarter-final trip to Canberra last week by felling the Crusaders at the final fence of their pursuit of a perfect 15 wins out of 15 in the regular season.

They become the best wild-card team and face the worst conference winners.

While the Wellington franchise endured a nightmare on their last trip to the Australian capital, losing 52-10, that game was in the first week of a 2016 campaign in which they finished at the top standings because of their tryscoring prowess and bossed their knockout matches.

They avenged it this season in round nine in some style, walloping the Brumbies 56-21 in a Napier outground fixture. They also won the teams' 2015 Westpac semi-final 29-9.

The Canes are one of few teams who will not fear facing top seeds the Lions at fortress Ellis Park in the semi-finals if, as likely, last year's runners-up confirm superiority over the Sharks.

They beat the Lions 20-3 in last year's Westpac final and have won on their last four visits to Johannesburg including last year's game 50-17.

Chris Boyd's charges are arguably at their best in wide-open attacking affairs which have become the Lions' forte in recent years, and yet they have the ability to shut down teams and play the percentages.

Jetting back from Joburg to New Zealand for a final will be mentally and physically tiring but this Canes squad look fresh and focused after a warning loss at home to the Chiefs before the international break.

Whichever one of their Kiwi rivals - the Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders - or South African side the Stormers progresses out of the other side of the draw will also have been in two almighty battles.

Recommendation
Hurricanes to win Super Rugby title
2pts 11-4 general

Brumbies v Hurricanes
Sky Sports Action, 10.35am Friday

The Hurricanes will be taking nothing for granted in this first quarter-final. Last year's horror show in Canberra and the inspiring tale of Wallabies' midfielder Christian Lealiifano returning to the Brumbies bench for the first time since beginning his fight against leukaemia 11 months ago will ensure that.

The Canes to give up six points on the second-half handicap looks the best bet. They were trailing 21-14 at the break when the teams met in Napier in April and then ran in six unanswered tries.

They powered home 31-22 against the Crusaders on Saturday and are boosted by the return of ace All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett.

They have also won cosily in all their non-New Zealand away games in Perth, Pretoria, Brisbane and Tokyo.

The Brumbies have lost their last two matches and four of their seven home games including clashes with Kiwi outfits the Blues and Highlanders.

Recommendation
Hurricanes -6 on second-half handicap
1pt 10-11 Coral, Hills, Ladbrokes

Crusaders v Highlanders
Sky Sports Action, 8.35am Saturday

The Crusaders are unlikely to have had their spirits crushed by failing to win all 15 regular-season games and they can welcome back the four All Blacks forwards who were rested last week in Wellington, as well as centre Ryan Crotty, who injured a hamstring in the first Test against the British & Irish Lions.

However, the Highlanders with a start of seven points is the best wager in Christchurch. The Landers' roster is nearly at full strength, with brilliant All Blacks full-back Ben Smith among the returnees, and they have proved cloying opposition in recent meetings.

This regular season, the Crusaders needed last-gasp scores to win 25-22 and 30-27 and that 25-22 success is the Landers' only loss in 12 games. The Highlanders won 34-26 in Dunedin in 2016 and 25-20 in Christchurch in 2015. Earlier that season the Crusaders had won 26-20 in Dunedin.

Recommendation
Highlanders +7
1pt 10-11 Hills