However, in a quirk of scheduling, the Crusaders host the fourth-placed Brumbies before the third-placed Waratahs are challenged at home by the Hurricanes. The winners of both games should make the semifinals. But there are all sorts of permutations to consider before the qualifiers for the final season of Super 14 are confirmed once the Stormers host the Bulls in the last match in Cape Town.

One detail is certain. The Bulls have qualified top again after seeing off the Crusaders in a furious final few minutes of a game of high quality and controversy in Pretoria. Strangely, the second-placed Stormers could still miss the playoffs. They lost over the weekend to the Sharks and a final round loss to the chart-topping Bulls could see them tipped out of the last few weeks of the competition.

There is also an outside chance the Reds could slip into the finals action. They would need a bonus points victory against the Highlanders and a raft of other results to go their way.

But the red-hot inquiries will revolve around the opening two matches this week. The Crusaders are first on to centre stage. They return from three overseas defeats to a visit from the Brumbies who reclaimed senior flanker George Smith and signs of their pedigree in beating the Highlanders. The Crusaders were within a blast from Marius Jonker's whistle of halting the Bulls' long run of successes at Loftus Versfeld and must now win and rely on other results to continue their qualifying run which began in 2002.

Five eighths Daniel Carter began to show more of his thoroughbred talent as his pack delivered greater sting to their work. But they have to travel home from the republic, regroup and face a Brumbies side which may yet be boosted by the inclusion of dangerous centre Stirling Mortlock. It would be best if the referees' panel did not appoint Steve Walsh to control this game or the next after he battled through his comeback at Waikato Stadium. The Hurricanes travel to meet the Waratahs in Sydney in the second match on Friday.