NEW ENGLAND Rugby Union slips into finals mode this weekend with Saturday's major semi-final between St Alberts and Armidale Blues, followed by Sunday's knockout minor semi-final between Barbarians and Robb College.
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Two very slick backlines will ensure plenty of points are scored in the major semi-final as minor premiers St Alberts tackle Armidale's Blues at Bellevue on Saturday.
Albies have been the competition front-runners all season and have bragging rights over Armidale with a comprehensive win last time they met, but that will mean nothing on Saturday.
Both sides have exciting backs, with Albies’ Alex Pay creating havoc out wide recently, and Armidale’s John "H" Roberts on fire last week.
But the battle may be played out between the packs as each team tries to secure enough ball to unleash the pace out wide.
Albies have been stiffened with country reps Ollie Bartlett and Charlie French, and boast a solid scrum and have been very effective at the breakdown.
Armidale will need to treasure the pill and seek to build phase play if they are to come away with the chocolates.
Unlucky Barbarians host Robb College at Alcatraz on Sunday in a winner-takes-all elimination semi final.
BaaBaas have had the wood on Robb this year, and a lot will depend on which Robb side turns up to play.
Impressive despite a loss to Albies a fortnight ago, Robb lacked zip last week and coach Sam Ditchfield will be looking to light a fire in the belly of the beast.
Barbarians have been solid all season and probably deserve to finish second, so will be out to prove a point.
Expect to see BaaBaas play through the middle, before utilising tricky winger Dom Bower, and old hand, Keith Ellis.
Robb will look to young gun Sam Callow at number 8 to negate Barbarians' big pack, with Tom Bucknell to guide the backs.
And, it won’t just be the men on the paddock this weekend.
The women's rugby sevens will have a dominant display in the NERU finals series, while junior rugby players will also have the opportunity to showcase their skills at half-time of the first.
"To round off a full house of rugby, each match day our local junior rugby players will have the opportunity to showcase their skills and passion before an appreciative crowd," Waterson said.
"Building on an idea from last year, Saturday’s players will don their colours and play for ten minutes at a time while the seniors have a break.
"Again, to the parents, coaches and organisers of all these juniors, all credit."
MEANWHILE, for the first time for the first time in 128 years, women's rugby will have a showcase in the NERU finals series, with the introduction of the inaugural Women's Sevens Challenge.
NERU's Sam Waterson said women's rugby has had a success year which "saw six clubs field teams through the year".
"Both days this weekend will have a round-robin series of three matches, with the top two teams from each day progressing to semi-finals to be played next week, before the big Grand Final showdown [on grand final day],” he said.
"Women's seven's has been a spectacular success this year and all credit needs to be given to those who had the vision and the drive to make it happen.
“Sam Piddington deserves special mention, picking up the ball and running with it (to use a hackneyed rugby cliché), but so too do the players, coaches and Clubs who supported the concept.
“Saturday will see the Glen Innes Elkettes, St Alberts College Bonnie Wee Lassies, and Armidale's Lady Blues battle it out, while Sunday will pit Robb College, the Wright College Redwomen, and the Barbettes against one-another. "