The Wellington Hurricanes and Auckland Blues kick off a climactic final Super 14 round tonight in which six teams have a chance of joining the Canterbury Crusaders in the final

four.

The make-up of the semi-finalists is unlikely to be decided until the final match of the weekend when the Coastal Sharks play the Waikato Chiefs.

The table-topping Crusaders play the out-of-contention Otago Highlanders and are assured of one home semi-final, but behind them there are multiple permutations.

The second-placed Hurricanes have 40 points, just six ahead of the sixth-placed Chiefs, while sandwiched between are the New South Wales Waratahs (39), Western Stormers and Sharks (37) and Blues (36).

There is added pressure in two crucial local derbies - the Hurricanes against the Blues and the Waratahs against the Queensland Reds - which double as de facto national trials in several positions.

A draw should be enough to get the Hurricanes into the semi-finals but the Blues will need to win, preferably with a bonus point, and then hope other results go their way.

The Waratahs' fate hinges on another Australian side in their local derby with the the 11th-placed Reds in Brisbane.

Of the play-off contenders, third- placed Stormers appear to have the easiest match of the round when they play the bottom-placed Lions at Johannesburg.

But the Lions proved last week they cannot be taken for granted when they upset the Chiefs 33-27, leaving the injury-hit Waikato franchise needing a dramatic reversal of form to stay in contention when they play the Sharks.

The two other weekend matches see the Western Force play the Brumbies and the Central Cheetahs play the Northern Bulls.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE