The Blacks will meet University at Marcellin Park on Sunday in their elimination semi-final.

If the two team’s previous games this year are anything to go by, there is nothing separating the two clubs on form.

The Blacks and the students are one-a-piece from their head-to-heads this year.

University sent the Blacks packing in round two with a 10-point win at University Oval.

But in a testament that a home ground can make all the difference, the Blacks struck back in round 13, beating Uni 27-12 at Marcellin Park.

This week’s line-up could be stronger for the Blacks with coach Steve Scobie being forced to fill a gaping hole in the centres, caused by the omission of Sam Ralph (broken hand) and Mark Cunningham.

Captain Adam Perkins will have to make a one-week transition from loose forward to running back as he moves out of No. 8 to plug one of the centre gaps.

He will team up with returning five-eighth Jack Howard, who is expected to overcome an ankle injury in time to play.

The Blacks have overcome the adversity of a disrupted lead-up, but that was against the lower-placed Wanderers team in round 21.

This Sunday’s semi-final fixture could end the season for the Blacks.

Scobie backed his team to overcome this week’s hurdle like they had before.

“We have had a bit of a disrupted lead up with a few positional changes, but we have been in that situation before and we pulled through,” he said.

“We can beat Uni, we have done it already this season.”

The Blacks are under no illusion about where the threat will come from against Uni, who have found relief in the speed and size of fullback Sam Berry this season.

“They score a lot of tries through Berry at the back, we need to shut him down,” Scobie said.

“The best way to play them is to shut them off in the forwards so they can’t service their backs.”

The Blacks will kick off from 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon.