The Waratahs and Rebels will bring down the curtain on Round 13 of the 2017 Super Rugby season this Sunday.
We close the weekend out with an Australian derby between the Waratahs and the Rebels. Both sides have endured horrendous seasons with their negative points differentials of -80 (Waratahs) and -243 (Rebels) emphasising this fact.
So which of these struggling teams will get the win this Saturday? Let’s find out.
Waratahs v Rebels | Sunday 21 May | Allianz Stadium | 08:05
To Win (80 Mins)
Waratahs 2/13 | Draw 28/1 | Rebels 9/2
Handicap
Waratahs (-12.5) 9/10 | Rebels (+12.5) 9/10
Waratahs
The Waratahs have been extremely poor this term but they still do have a chance of making the play-offs, which epitomises how weak the Australian Conference is. The men from New South Wales only trail the conference-leading Brumbies by five points. A bonus point win this Sunday and a loss for the Brumbies, would see the ‘Tahs draw level on points with the men from Canberra.
The ‘Tahs could actually achieve this with consummate ease as the Rebels have been nothing short of horrific, shipping 383 points in just ten matches at an average of just over 38 points per game. While the ‘Tahs haven’t been clinical on attack as you expect from a team loaded with Wallabies, they still have the capacity to tear this Rebels side apart.
Rebels
They may be fighting for their survival but you would be forgiven for thinking that the Rebels had just been promised a ten-year tenure in Super Rugby after watching their heartless displays. The men from Melbourne have recently endured a hiding at the hands of the Kings. And while the Waratahs also went down to the men from Mandela Bay, they at least put up more of a fight.
The Rebels could be a bit more threatening this week as they’ve named an almost full strength side that sees talismanic loose forward Sean McMahon make a welcome return to the starting XV. McMahon is joined in the second row by Lopeti Tomani, who has served his four-week ban.
Verdict: Rebels (+12.5) 9/10
I would avoid the straight win market here and rather go points hunting on the Live In-Play platform when the game kicks-off as most fixtures between these sides tend to be on the high scoring side of things. If you must have a go on the ante-post stuff, then I recommend a crack on the Rebels plus.
Written by Darry Worthington for @Hollywoodbets.net!
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