Echipele de start in semifinalele Super Rugby 2016

1. Lions - Highlanders, Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburgh, 16,00 (Ro), la centru  Jaco Peyper

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Courtnal Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf De Klerk, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel (capitan), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylon Smith. 
Rezerve: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Jacques van Rooyen, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Steph de Witt, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Jaco van der Walt.

Highlanders:  15 Ben Smith (capitan ), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Matt Faddes, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 James Lentjes, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Rezerve: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Joe Wheeler, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Dan Pryor, 22 Te Aihe Toma, 23 Marty Banks.

2. Hurricanes - Waikato Chiefs, Westpac Stadium, Wellington, 10,35 (Ro), Angus Garner.

Hurricanes: 15 James Marshall, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Willis Halaholo, 11 Jason Woodward, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Michael Fatialofa, 4 Vaea Fifita, 3 Ben May, 2 Dane Coles (capitan) sau Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Loni Uhila.

Rezerve: 16 Ricky Riccitelli/Leni Apisai, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Mike Kainga, 19 Mark Abbott, 20 Callum Gibbins, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Vince Aso, 23 Julian Savea.

Chiefs:  15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Sam McNicol, 13 Seta Tamanivalu, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (co-capitan), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Tom Sanders, 7 Sam Cane (co-capitan), 6 Taleni Seu, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Atu Moli, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Kane Hames.
Rezerve: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 18 Mitchell Graham, 19 Lachlan Boshier, 20 Michael Leitch, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Toni Pulu, 23 Shaun Stevenson.

Ce se remarca in aceste formule de start este numarul mare de combinatii  posibile ale perechilor de mijlocasi neo-zeelandezi. La sud-africani, Faf De Clerk-Elton Jantjies, sunt solutia pe care a mers noul antrenor al Springboks  in meciurile cu Irlanda. Si a functionat.. In schimb, la neo-zeelandezi, orice numar 9 merge cu orice numar 10 pentru o prezenta in primul XV al All Blacks : Aaron Smith - Lima Sopoaga, TJ Perenara  - Beauden Barrett, Tawera Kerr-Barlow - Aaron Cruden.

 Vor fi merciuri interesante dar nu dezechilibrate, Ma astept la o replica dura a apararii celor de la Lions (Mapoe, Rensburg, Ruan Ackerman si Jaco Kriel) in fata unui atac destul de consistent si rapid (Naholo, Fekitoa, Luke Witelock), In cealalata partida, adversarii se cunosc foarte bine. Hurricanes au, se stie, o teribila forta de atac (Marshall, Cory Jane, Barrett, Victor Vito, Dan Coles, Ardie Savea, asta in conditiile in care Julian Savea este doar rezerva. Chiefs pleaca, teoretic, cu sansa a doua insa resursele rugby-ului neo-zeelandez sunt, practic, infinite iar asa-zisele surprize nu mai mira pe nimeni.