CRAIG LEWIS looks ahead to the final three matches in round 11 of Super Rugby, including the highly-anticipated clash between the Bulls and Highlanders.

BLUES vs JAGUARES (Auckland, Saturday, 09:35)

The Blues have managed just two wins from eight games this season, and remain rooted to the bottom of the New Zealand conference. It’s heaped the pressure on their coaching staff, who will desperately be hoping for a victorious reprieve this Saturday.

However, adding to the challenge is the fact that the Jaguares have hit some fine form in recent weeks, which has seen them claim encouraging wins over the Brumbies and Rebels in Australia.

It’s revealing that in terms of per-game averages, the Blues are ranked first for carries, defenders beaten, offloads and passes, but they have lacked a clinical finishing edge on attack, while their tackle success percentage is at a lowly 81%.

The Blues and Jaguares remain two of the most unpredictable teams in the tournament, but it’s the home side that should have a decisive edge of desperation at Eden Park.

Stats and facts

• The Blues claimed a 24-16 win in their only previous encounter with the Jaguares, after having led 15-6 at half-time.
• The Blues have lost their last three games on the bounce at home. The last time they lost more was a four-game drought to open the 2012 campaign.
• The Blues have won two of their last four games against teams from outside New Zealand despite having trailed at half-time in every one of those four fixtures.
• The Jaguares have won four of their last six games overall, including each of their last two. The only time they won more in succession was a three-game stretch from round three to round five last season.

Blues – 15 Matt Duffie, 14 Jordan Hyland, 13 Orbyn Leger, 12 Rieko Ioane, 11 Tumua Manu, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Augustine Pulu/Jonathan Ruru, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Kara Pryor/Dalton Papali’i, 6 Jimmy Tupou, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 James Parsons (c), 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Subs: TBC.

Jaguares – 15 Joaquín Tuculet (c), 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de le Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Javier Ortega Desio, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Santiago García Botta.
Subs: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Javier Díaz, 18 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Bautista Ezcurra, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere.

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BRUMBIES vs CRUSADERS (Canberra, Saturday, 11:45)

The Crusaders moved back to the top of the Kiwi conference with a comfortable win over the Sunwolves last weekend, and they should really be targeting another bonus-point victory over the embattled Brumbies.

As it is, the Crusaders have won their last seven games on the bounce against the Brumbies, and by an average margin of 19 points.

This season, the Saders have recorded as many as 12 tries in the opening quarter of matches, while they’ve scored 15 times from first phase, and they will be looking to use this set-piece base to strike fast and early against the Brumbies.

A strong start from the visitors would rattle the resolve of a Brumbies side that has managed just three wins from eight games this year, and even with home-ground advantage, the Canberra-based side are rank underdogs heading into this clash.

The Brumbies will also go into this match without influential flanker David Pocock due to injury, while the Crusaders have made several changes to their team from last weekend, with Sam Whitelock returning to bolster a strong squad.

Stats and facts

• The Crusaders’ seven-match winning run against the Brumbies is the longest winning streak of either team in the history of the fixture.
• The Brumbies have picked up competition points in each of their last 15 regular-season games at home, picking up nine wins and six losing bonus points.
• The Crusaders have won their last six games on the bounce in Australia, their longest winning streak in the nation.
• Only the Chiefs (eight) have conceded fewer linebreaks per game this season than the Brumbies (10).
• Manasa Mataele has scored three tries and assisted one further in his last two games for the Crusaders, beating 10 defenders and making six clean breaks in that time.

Brumbies – 15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Andrew Smith, 11 Chance Peni, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Tom Cusack, 6 Blake Enever, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Scott Sio.
Subs: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Faalelei Sione, 18 Ben Alexander, 19 Darcy Swain, 20 Lolo Fakaosilea, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 23 Andrew Muirhead.

Crusaders – 15 David Havili, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Tim Bateman, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Seta Tamanivalu, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Jordan Taufua, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 5 Sam Whitelock (c), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tim Perry.
Subs: 16 Andrew Makalio, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Michael Alaalatoa, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitch Hunt, 23 Manasa Mataele.

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BULLS vs HIGHLANDERS (Pretoria, Saturday, 17:15)

The Bulls come into this match on a three-match winning streak, but this is the sort of contest that should serve as a good gauge of both their tactical and technical evolution.

The Highlanders remain one of the most astute sides in the competition, and again employed a slow-poison approach through accurate kicking and robust defence to overcome the Blues last weekend.

Notably, the statistics show that the Highlanders are averaging a whopping 162 tackles per game, but have still maintained an 86% tackle success rate (for which they are ranked first).

The Bulls will expect to face a number of contestable kicks from the Highlanders, who have the wily pair of Aaron Smith and Lima Sopoaga conducting proceedings from the halfback channel.

What the Bulls should recognise is that while they are ranked second for lineout success (90%), the Highlanders’ ranking at this set piece hovers down at 83% (rank 12).

It’s from first phase that the Bulls have scored a commendable 16 tries, and they will look to once again use their lineout drive as a meaningful weapon.

The Bulls have suffered a couple of blows following an injury to Roelof Smit and the suspension of powerful prop Pierre Schoeman, but one would still expect the Pretoria-based side to have an edge up front.

The hosts should also look to adopt a high-tempo approach in their endeavours to slowly wear down the Highlanders, before looking to take advantage in the latter stages of the clash when the travel and altitude factor could come into play.

Stats and facts

• The Highlanders have won four of their last five games against the Bulls. However, the Pretoria-based team has earned a losing bonus point in each of those four defeats.
• The Bulls will be looking to pick up multiple home wins against New Zealand opposition in a single season for the first time since doing so twice in 2013. They claimed a 21-19 win over the Hurricanes in round two this season.
• The Highlanders have won their last four regular-season games on the bounce in South Africa. Never before have they won five in succession in the country.
• The Bulls have conceded just 25.6 points per game this season, the fewest of any team outside the New Zealand conference.
• Highlanders pair Dillon Hunt (110) and Luke Whitelock (106) have made more tackles than any other players so far this campaign.

Bulls – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Johnny Kötze, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal (c), 11 Divan Rossouw, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Thembelani Bholi, 7 Jason Jenkins, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Subs: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Frans van Wyk, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Hendré Stassen, 20 Nic de Jager, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Travis Ismaiel.

Highlanders – 15 Fletcher Smith, 14 Ben Smith (c), 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Jackson Hemopo, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Subs: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Kalolo Tuiloma, 19 Alex Ainley, 20 Shannon Frizell, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Kayne Hammington, 23 Sio Tomkinson.

Photo: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix