HOMEWARD BOUND

NSW warm up with record victory

RUGBY UNION: Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson is calling on NSW fans to turn out in droves to ride his team’s fast gathering momentum for a Super Rugby title charge.

Hot off a franchise-record 12try, 77-25 blitz of the Sunwolves, the Waratahs have clinched the Australian conference and will be guaranteed second spot overall if they can beat the Brumbies at home on Saturday night during a fascinating final round.

They would then be assured of home advantage for the quarter-finals and semi-finals and only have to travel again if they meet the table-topping Crusaders in the final.

“We really look forward to what’s going to be an exciting period,” said Gibson as his team eyes a second Super Rugby title in four years.

“I’m really hoping that the public get swinging behind this team because I think they deserve it.”

The Melbourne Rebels are relieved that their bumbling 3723 loss to the lowly-ranked Queensland Reds on Friday wasn’t as costly as it might have been, with other teams scrapping for the places in the eightteam finals also losing.

In eighth spot, the Rebels still have their destiny in their own hands but face a huge assignment to beat the sixth-placed Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday to ensure they play finals for the first time.

Having found form late in the season, the Brumbies’ thrilling 24-19 loss to New Zealand’s highly-flying Chiefs leaves them in 10th spot and only a faint chance of finals if all goes their way, including a bonus point win over the Tahs.

“They are playing some brilliant footy as well, so its going to be a hell of a contest,” Gibson said.

New Zealand are set to dominate the finals once again with four of the eight teams - the Crusaders, Hurricanes and Chiefs are the top three teams on points and the Highlanders are sixth.

SCORES: Crusaders 45 Highlanders 22, Reds 37 Rebels 23, Chiefs 24 Brumbies 19, Hurricanes 42 Blues 24, Waratahs 77 Sunwolves 25, Bulls 43 Jaguares 34, Stormers 29 Sharks 16. NEXT WEEK: Fri: Chiefs v Hurricanes, Reds v Sunwolves; Sat: Highlanders v Rebels, Crusaders v Blues, Waratahs v Brumbies, Lions v Bulls; Sun: Sharks v Jaguares