Are the Highlanders 2014 Super Rugby Finalists?

It wasn't a classic and it certainly won't win many beauty points but a win is a win especially at this stage of the season.

Thus, the Highlanders will be very chuffed with their 18-16 win over fellow Kiwi side, the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday that lifts them up to 4th with 5 games left to go in the season. It won't matter one iota that it was achieved by a style of rugby the English would be familiar with - lot of ball kicked away and a drop goal from Kurow born Hayden Parker, who played a bit like a Mr Jonny Wilkinson.

The Highlanders still have to play the Crusaders at home and away, the Reds and Waratahs away in Australia and the Chiefs at home, so their place in the playoffs is still far from guaranteed, but considering what happened last season, it is quite pleasant for Highlanders fans to see their side relevant in the month of May.

It will please Highlanders fans even more to see the dogged and determined defence of their side snuff out a talented yet out-of-sorts Hurricanes side on Friday - the Canes relied on from mistakes at set-piece and a shepherd which I think was rightly called given that Aaron Smith was clearly impeded by Ash Dixon allowing TJ Perenara to dot down for a disallowed try.

Malakai Fekitoa right now looks like a future All Black - and not just a one-cap wonder. He ran his heart out as usual but showed the defensive side of his game few had talked about, including managing to haul in a runaway Julian Savea and preventing a try to the Hurricanes.

The Highlanders on the back of Fekitoa, Smith, a returning Sopoaga and a determined forward pack could be surprise contenders if they can get the results and right now confidence will be high for a team that has been underdogs for much of the season. The only trouble is that now they're winning, more people will put the favourites tag on them which is something the Highlanders have never dealt with well in the past.

So for now, best to enjoy this golden run and if it turns into playoff football, then great. At least, it's been nice to see the Highlanders as contenders rather than at the bottom of the table and talking about next season.

Can Atletico Overcome Barcelona To Become La Liga Champion?

It has been hailed as the most important domestic football league game in history. For the only third time in La Liga history, the two title contenders have played each other in the final game of the season for the title.

Indeed, not since Liverpool played Arsenal for the title back in 1989 have we seen the title in a major European league come down to a match on the very last day between the title protagonists.

While the scenario of having to get a result from the Camp Nou may not be the most ideal for Atletico fans - and Spanish football fans keen to see a side other than Real or Barca win the title, it is definitely the scenario that this season, undoubtedly the best La Liga season of the last 20 years, definitely deserved.

While 2014 has not been a vintage year for Barcelona so far, they have somehow managed to stay right in the title mix and despite not winning in 3 weeks now, they are only 3 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid and are the only team who can deny the Rojiblancos their first title since 1996.

The permutations are simple for both sides.

A Barcelona win and they will win the title - they will go level on points with Atletico Madrid but will win the tie breaker as will end up with the better head-to-head having drawn 0-0 in the reverse fixture earlier in the year.

A draw is all that Atletico need to win the title - and they'll be backed by the fact that they achieved a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou in the heat of a Champions League quarterfinal earlier this season.

The La Liga title race which for so long was between Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona has eventually become a race of survival with Real Madrid's form dropping off dramatically after their 3-0 romp at the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich to the point that they're mathematically no longer a chance of winning the title - Carlo Ancelotti effectively conceded the title before their game at Celta Vigo which finished in a 2-0 defeat, an error which he may rue following the failure of Atletico and Barca to win their games.

Atletico and Barca's form has really only been marginally better - with Barca probably the only unbeaten side out of both, even if they were uninspiring draws at home to Getafe and away to Elche, sides fighting for survival in the top flight.

Atletico's form definitely seems to have taken a hit since they overcame Chelsea in the semifinals - they suffered a 2-0 loss to Levante, definitely a hangover result, and missed Diego Costa in a 1-1 draw at home against Malaga; had they beaten Malaga they would have been champions last weekend.

Diego Costa should be available for the game against Barcelona at the Camp Nou and that will definitely boost Atletico immeasurably as they aim to cap off what will be a memorable season for their longsuffering fans.

It has to be said that confidence wise, Atletico probably have the edge over Barcelona - it is difficult to imagine Barcelona keeping their cards to their chest with such insipid draws against Getafe and Elche - the rot had set in since their loss to Real Sociedad and Valencia, and they were quite lucky against a naive Athletic Bilbao at home.

Barcelona do have the carrot of winning the title for their deceased former coach, Tito but it seems the emotion of being associated with him affected them greatly against Getafe and Elche.

And of course, Atletico can count on that result earlier in April where they more than held their own at the Camp Nou and were unlucky not to have won.

More importantly, Atletico Madrid don't actually need to win the game and can afford to play very tight and hit on the counter-attack with the likes of Raul Garcia, Arda Turan and Diego Costa - this has been Barcelona's Achilles heel this season.

Ultimately, much as I do like Barca, I feel that Atletico Madrid deserve to win the title and will get the result they need on Saturday night. A Barca title win may be a fitting tribute to the late Tito Vilanova but other than that, the win will feel very hollow for a team that is definitely a shadow of itself, and will flatter to deceive.

Whatever happens and whoever you cheer on, this is one game of football you must watch.

The French and Italian leagues also wrap up this weekend. While there is nothing to play for in Italy with relegation, European spots and the championship decided, there is still the last Champions League and survival spots to be decided in France.

St Etienne host already relegated Ajaccio, aiming for a win and a slip up by Lille at Lorient to snatch the last Champions League spot. At the other end of the table, Sochaux (18th) hosts Evian (17th) looking for the win to move out of the bottom 3 on the last day and seal their Ligue 1 survival.

It's going to be a cracking Saturday night!

Is Taniela Tupou The Next Great (All Black)?

As you've probably seen on Youtube, this young 18-year-old Tongan prop named Taniela Tupou has been wowing rugby fans here and overseas with his barn-storming body, runs and tries.

To be honest, I've never seen better calves from a full grown man, let alone a Sacred Heart College student.

Could Taniela Tupou be the next great All Black? I think the Blues might be very keen to secure his services just like the Hurricanes secured Jeff Toomaga-Allen before anyone knew who he was. In that case, New Zealand rugby can look forward to seeing a future great prop in their ranks.

Or he could be rugby's version of Freddy Adu. I doubt not after this though.

Is Andrew McFadden the Final Key to Warriors Grand Final Glory?

It came a bit earlier than expected but the New Zealand Warriors have announced that current caretaker coach and former assistant to now deposed head coach, Matt Elliott, Andrew McFadden, has been appointed on a permanent basis.

Andrew McFadden will be head coach of the Warriors until 2017.

Since McFadden took charge, the Warriors have won 2 of their last 3 games, including a 9 try salvo against the Raiders at Eden Park on Saturday evening - their first win at Eden Park.

I think this is a good move as I believe the Warriors do better under a no-name coach rather than a big name head ala Brian McClennan, Matt Elliott, Daniel Anderson, given the talent there and the mentality of the players prefering to play for one another than their coach - as Ivan Cleary would have noted.

It has shades of Tim Sherwood at Tottenham really - Tottenham seemed to do much better under a former player turned coach who just let the players do what they had to, while giving motivational speeches - and throwing jackets - from the touchline.

It would be quite incredible if the Warriors did make the Grand Final in the same season their head coach got dismissed.

Kiwis Rule Super Rugby - A Look Back at Week 12 of Super Rugby!

It has been a tremendous weekend for Kiwi teams in Super Rugby - only the Blues were losers albeit to another Kiwi side, i.e. the Chiefs. The Hurricanes, Highlanders and Crusaders all beat their Aussie and South African opponents to move into or within sight of the top 6.

Not only that, the Brumbies' win over the Sharks in Canberra is an added bonus for Kiwi sides, as it means the table topping Sharks are now reeled into the chasing pack headed by the Brumbies with games against the Crusaders in Christchurch and Blues in Auckland to come.

The Brumbies are yet to tour South Africa too so it could be the Chiefs once again leading Super Rugby.

The Crusaders once again demonstrated they will be a factor with a tremendous performance on Sunday afternoon in Brisbane against the Reds whose defence must be the reason why they're currently looking after the wooden spoon in the Aussie conference despite all those Wallabies.

They've also finally cracked the hoodoo of winning in Hamilton so must be a force to be reckoned with as they move up the table.

Performances by Malakai Fekitoa, Patrick Tuipulotu, Liam Coltman and Nathan Harris for their respective Super Rugby franchises have earned them a call up to the All Blacks training squad.

All of them have definitely stood out this season - in particular, Fekitoa for the Highlanders although Liam Coltman has been very steady this season while Nathan Harris is definitely one outside the box. Hooker is a key problem for the All Blacks at the moment with the retirement of Andrew Hore and age of Keven Mealamu to consider.

Anyway here is a look back at all the games from the weekend gone by.