The steady charge towards the finals continues in Round 11 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition!
We were treated to plenty of world class contests in Super Round, and we’re off to Brisbane first-up in Round 11, when the Reds take on the Chiefs.
There are six winners to be found, and I am confident in having unearthed a few below in my 2022 Super Rugby Pacific Round 11 Tips.
The Reds return home for the first time in a few weeks, and they will have their work cut out for them in the Chiefs.
They have been consistently competitive all season, but their first match against a Kiwi side last week ended in a loss, and they’ll clearly need to improve to compete effectively with the Chiefs as well.
The Chiefs have also performed well throughout their campaign, and they are in a position to leapfrog the Reds on the ladder, should they win.
I think that this will go right down to the wire, and the value in a game like that lies in backing the Reds to cover the line as outsiders.
Understandably, betting suggests that this could be the most one-sided game in Round 11 of Super Rugby Pacific.
That certainly isn’t a comment on the Force – I’ve been quite impressed with how they’ve gone about their work this season; they simply lack the depth and experience of many of their rivals.
The Blues, however, have been nothing short of outstanding, and they are unlucky not to be undefeated.
They take their place in this game following a comfortable win over the Fijian Drua, and they can win again.
The Highlanders get an opportunity bounce back at the expense of the lowly Fijian Drua.
The Highlanders’ record certainly isn’t an indication of how they have been playing, they’ve just had a typically tough draw, and they are the worst of the Kiwi teams.
While they were beaten by the Brumbies in Week 10, this is a clear drop in class from that opponent.
The Drua have also recorded just one win this season, but it was a while ago now, and things only get more difficult for them from this point on.
The Waratahs face an enormous task when they take on the Crusaders in Sydney on Saturday evening.
It has been a far better season for the Waratahs in 2022 – they could hardly compete in 2021, but there’s still plenty of work to be done before they can win a comp.
They leaked 50 points to the Chiefs in Week 10, and arguably face a better opponent this week.
The Crusaders meanwhile were far too strong for the Rebels last week, and they’ll be confident in producing a similar result against another Aussie opponent.
The Rebels and Moana Pasifika will each be eager to record only a second win for the season when they meet in Melbourne on Saturday night.
Neither side has looked particularly convincing at any point, and clearly, the finals are well and truly off the table for both clubs.
The Rebels have steadily improved, to their credit, and I didn’t think that they were completely hopeless against a very good opponent in the Crusaders, last week.
Moana Pasifika’s campaign got off to a less than ideal start, with the pandemic wreaking havoc on their squad and their ability to travel.
They have exceeded mine and many pundits’ expectation, but there is understandably still a long way to go for them, as well.
I think that the Rebels will simply want this more, so that’s where my money is going!
The Brumbies look to be Australia’s best chance of winning Super Rugby Pacific this season, and they face a genuine acid test in the Hurricanes on Sunday.
The Brumbies have been typically strong and consistent all season, and they passed their first Kiwi test with a nice win over the Highlanders in Round 10.
This is another rise in class, but I think they’re up to it.
The Hurricanes sit mid-table with a winning record of 5-4, and they recorded a very nice win of their own over the Reds in Week 10; a club who has defeated the Brumbies in 2022.
I’m backing the upset, but without an enormous amount of confidence.