Super title is the Crusaders’ to lose

There’s no real need to complete the formalities. Good on the teams who’ve qualified for the Super Rugby playoffs. No doubt one or two of them will feel it’s a fine achievement. It might prove a wee financial bonus too. Even though seven of them are only playing for second place.

After all, who among them is remotely capable of going to AMI Stadium and rolling the Crusaders?

As it stands, the Rebels will get first crack, then the Hurricanes or Chiefs in a semifinal. On the other side of the draw it’s the Waratahs who are arguably the most likely team to emerge.

Most of us would agree the Highlanders are a fine side. In Ben and Aaron Smith they have two absolutely world-class players, while Liam Squire’s well on his way up to that echelon.

Around them you’ve got various All Blacks and proven Super Rugby performers, who all ripped in against the Crusaders on Friday. It was a good game in which the Highlanders enjoyed some periods of success and yet they walked away 45-22 losers.

The Chiefs (45-23) and Hurricanes (24-13) have already been beaten in Christchurch this year, while the Waratahs’ 31-29 defeat tends to be remembered for other reasons. But, looking past Joe Moody’s contact on Kurtley Beale and whether New Zealand teams get the benefit of any referee doubt, the Crusaders still came back from 29-0 down in that game.

In some ways the Waratahs game was the