The winless watch is down to one team now… and to the surprise of many naysayers it is not one of the Australian teams.
With one draw and four losses so far, the Chiefs are in South Africa and will look to get that elusive win when they take on the Bulls as part of a massive Saturday with five straight games.
It all closes out on Sunday afternoon with the Reds hosting the Brumbies in a Sunday clash that will be well worth tuning into.
Check out our previews and tips for this weekend’s Super Rugby action.
The Blues have had two weeks to enjoy their first win since June last year after beating the Sunwolves. The Highlanders game was cancelled last weekend and they will look to end a two game losing run and go into this contest as favourites. Those losses don’t scare me too much considering they came by a combined total of 8 points and were in Melbourne and Wellington. Dating back to last season, the Highlanders have played in six straight games decided by seven points or less so another close game might be on the cards.
Yes, this is a South African team travelling to New Zealand but when you look at the form lines of these teams, 15.5 points is a massive line. These teams tend to play closer games than that over the last few seasons and with three straight wins over conference rivals, this game has the makings of a very entertaining contest. The only game the Hurricanes won by more than two tries came against the Brumbies and the Stormers look like they will put up a stronger test.
After last weekend you can be forgiven for wanting the Crusaders to put on a clinic here. It’s been a sombre week in Christchurch but now the team gets back to business with a clash against the Waratahs in Sydney. You would have no qualms backing the Crusaders to win this game by a lot in isolation and with the added motivation of playing for their city here, this has the makings of a big win for the visitors.
If recent reports are anything to go by, the Sunwolves Super Rugby Future is all but confirmed with SANZAAR set to remove the Japanese side from the competition soon. This weekend though they host the Lions in Singapore and this could be a massive win for the visiting South African side. In the last two weeks they have scored 83 points and while there has been improvement from the Sunwolves, it’s hard to not take the Lions to win by a lot.
Some games need massive, complex explanations regarding maths, formulas and parliamentary filibusters to determine the pick. This is not one of those games. The Chiefs have been poor this season and now travel to face a Bulls side that is looking like it might be a contender to face the Crusaders in the final in a few months. In South Africa, the Bulls favoured by less than a try against a winless opponent, how can you not take them to win and cover here?
The Rebels did everything necessary to beat the Lions last week, except for finish the game with more points than their opponent. They have to bounce back against an out of form Sharks team this weekend. Last year the Rebels were able to handle the Sharks 46-10 in Melbourne and with how they’ve played so far, I’ll back a response here and a full 80 minute performance to pick up their first away win over the Sharks.
Does it get more scenic than a Sunday afternoon Aussie Derby at Suncorp Stadium? Maybe not in the rugby world and the Reds will take on the Brumbies looking to back up their first win of the season last week against the Sunwolves. Last year the Reds were kicked to victory in the same fixture and it would not be surprising if this game devolves into another defensive battle. At home with a vocal crowd behind them take the value on the Reds as home underdogs.