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Currie Cup 2018: Outright Betting Preview

Currie Cup 2018: 5 Players to Watch

The 2018 Currie Cup season will get underway on the 17th of August. We take a look at the outright betting below.

The 2018 Currie Cup season is just around the corner. And while the tournament has undergone a massive makeover – which will see teams play each other once instead of twice during the round robin phase – it will still offer great entertainment and punting value.

To Win Outright
Lions 12/10
Sharks 28/10
Western Province 4/1
Bulls 6/1
Cheetahs 33/1
Pumas 40/1
Griquas 45/1

Click here to find out more about the tournament structure changes.

Contenders
As usual, the five main Provinces top the betting boards with the Pumas and Griquas behind them. The Lions are the current bookies’ favourite to lift the cup and are trading at even money. This is rather strange considering the Johannesburg based side will be missing the core of their Super Rugby squad due to Springbok call-ups as well as Japanese club rugby commitments.

Last year’s runners-up, the Sharks, are next up on the board with the men from the coast currently available at 28/10. Like the Lions, the Sharks are likely to be without a few of their stars with the likes of Lukhanyo Am, Tendai Mtawarira, Andre Esterhuizen, and Curwin Bosch sure to be on duty with the Springboks.

Western Province are third favourites to lift the cup, and last year’s winners look a solid enough bet at 4/1. Yes, they will be missing a few of their big guns due to national commitments, but they have a very youthful squad who have already tasted Currie Cup glory.

The recently coachless Bulls are currently trading at 6/1, which is great value considering they will keep the core of their Super Rugby squad for the Currie Cup. Like Province, the Bulls have a lot of youth amongst their ranks. And after a dire Super Rugby season, the men from Pretoria will be desperate to give their fans something to cheer about.

The last of the big five are the Free State Cheetahs who are likely to enjoy a fast start and then drop off the boil once the PRO14 starts and they have to split their squad. While they are trading at 33/1, I can’t see them doing much and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they miss the semi-finals.

Dark Horse
The Pumas are my dark horse for this year’s tournament. The men from Nelspruit enjoyed a fantastic SuperSport Rugby campaign and ended the tournament as deserved winners. They have a very handy squad and will be a tough nut to crack on home soil.

Verdict: Sharks 28/10
I was going to originally back the Bulls to claim the title but John Mitchell’s departure have left the Province facing an uphill battle. Instead, I’m backing the Natalians to put last year’s disappointment behind them by capturing this year’s title.

While my main bet will be on the Sharks, I will also be having a small strike on the Pumas as the price on their heads is just too big to pass up on.

Written by Darry Worthington for Hollywoodbets

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