Hurricanes faltering as Super Rugby playoffs near

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – The Wellington-based Hurricanes hope to win a run of the season.

The Hurricanes won 10 straight matches to the top of the table at the Auckland-based Blues on Saturday to regain form before the regular season ends.

The Blues have not beaten New Zealand rival in almost three seasons and the Hurricanes see an opportunity to recover momentum in front of a home crowd. But coach Chris Boyd realizes that the results can be unpredictable late in the season when the teams are desperate to reach the playoffs or to atone for having failed to do so.

That was driven home to the Hurricanes last weekend when they lost in Canberra to the ACT Brumbies, a team they were expected to beat the world

"I'll be honest with you, I was a little nervous a lot to play for, "Boyd said. "Not that we did not have a drop-dead situation" (19659002) "They go to the Chiefs in Hamilton (on Saturday) and they lose that game and their season is over, so I think you can get exposed to those situations. "

The Hurricanes are still second behind the Christchurch Crusaders in the New Zealand conference, with 45 points, are likely to make the playoffs even if they do not win their last two regular-season matches against the Blues and Chiefs. But they want to go into the postseason with winning momentum and that makes Saturday's match against the Blues, who are out of playoff contention, more important.

The Crusaders have a nine-point lead in the New Zealand conference which should be enough to ensure they finish in the first place both in the region and on overall standings. They play the Dunedin-based Highlanders on Friday and the Blues in their last regular-season match.

The return on Friday of Blacks captain Keiran Read, who will play his first Super Rugby match of the year after recovering back surgery will have the Crusaders as they step up their defense of the title.

Read said he was not yet up to playing a full 80 minutes and had the choice between starting and coming off the bench. He

"I think starting and getting the opportunity to empty the tank." I will try that, "he said. "In terms of the back it feels really good." That's a bonus. "

In Australia, the New South Wales Waratahs stretched their conference lead to four points with last week's win over the second-place Melbourne Rebels and could clinch first place when they play Japan's Sunwolves on Saturday. The Rebels play Queensland on Friday.

The Johannesburg-based Lions lead the African women's world championship, who's shrugged off the Pumas' poor form last June. The Lions face the Bulls and the Jaguars play the Sharks in their last regular-season matches .