The Crusaders to win by about 12 points. That is this column's pick for the Super 15 final.

Some years back, the Aberdeen Evening Express in Scotland reported on a big storm. At its height, a coastguard was asked by marine authorities to estimate wind speed.

It's off to Sydney then - which will host it's host final after the Waratahs clawed and scrapped their way into the last two.

The Crusaders juggernaut rolls on for another week, the Sharks dismantled piece by piece in Christchurch tonight by a team who look in clinical, and ominous, form.

Watch a replay of tonight's live blog of the Super Rugby semi-final between the Crusaders and the Sharks from AMi Stadium in Christchurch.

Corey Flynn's journey to tonight's semifinal, his 150th match for the Crusaders and a clash against Bismarck du Plessis, considered the best hooker in the world, has been a long and often painful one.

You can attribute a large part of the Highlanders' demise last week to their struggles at scrum time against the Sharks.

Why the inquiry, surely it's superfluous? Why would the Waratahs alter an adventurous playing pattern that has vaulted them to the top of the Super Rugby series?

Afew years ago there was a discussion at Crusaders' management and administration level about what would be considered a good season.

The last time Jean Deysel played against the Crusaders in Christchurch, he spent the night after the game with mixed emotions.

He's already at another level, but superstar fullback Israel Folau is hoping to raise his game to impossible new heights in the Waratahs' semi-final against the Brumbies tomorrow.

Nothing beats a grudge game and the whiff of verbal cordite is swirling ahead of the Super rugby semifinal between the Waratahs and Brumbies.

Wynne Gray writes: The real Beast roaming around the Super 15 rugby fields is Sharks captain Bismarck du Plessis.

Losing to the Sharks in pool play was so unlike the Crusaders, especially at home and with a man advantage after Jean Deysel was sent off early, they rarely got out of third gear.

Let's compliment the Highlanders on the way they approached the game against the Sharks, writes Justin Marshall.

Todd Blackadder would have made the short journey from his home to the Crusaders' training base yesterday to begin the analysis for his team's semifinal in Christchurch.

It's been another confusing and often boring Super 15 season but Saturday night's semifinal clash in Christchurch should be well worth the wait, writes Chris Rattue.

Even though Henry Speight has been busy with the Brumbies for a while now, you still wanted to rub your eyes.

Three years ago, Gareth Anscombe was on track to be an All Black. Now he is likely to find himself playing against the All Blacks in November as the 23-year-old first-five commits to Wales.

After years of selling itself as a global game when it never really was, rugby is poised to take grip in territories it has always dreamed of conquering.

The first half of 2014 has very much been the Jerome Kaino show. Maybe the second will belong to Steven Luatua, who appears poised to re-emerge as a genuine international force.

I have been on holiday in Australia for a couple of weeks where I got the impression there's a fair bit of confidence brewing.

What a maddening night for the Chiefs. Their dream is over. They won't win their third successive title and they will only have themselves to blame.