Written by Darry Worthington for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
Waratahs v Rebels | Sunday 3 April | Allianz Stadium | 08:35
We close out round 6 with another Australian derby. This week sees the Waratahs take on the Rebels at Allianz Park. With only three points separating the sides on the Australian Conferences both teams will be desperate for a win here.
To Win Match
Waratahs 3/10 | Draw 28/1 | Rebels 24/10
Handicap
Waratahs (-8.5) 9/10 | Rebels (+8.5) 9/10
This will be the Waratahs’ second Sunday derby in a row. They managed to beat the Reds by two points last week in what was a rather dull affair. That victory was their second of the season and moved them to within three points of this weekend’s opponents on the Australian Conference.
While the ‘Tahs managed to get a victory last weekend, the Rebels went down to the Highlanders by 24 points. They were thoroughly outclassed by their New Zealand opponents and weren’t even able to register a try in the game.
The duo have met ten times in Super Rugby with the ‘Tahs winning nine and the Rebels only tasting victory once. The last three clashes between the sides have seen 19 tries scored and a total of 200 points.
Both sides have opted to make a few changes for this one. The Waratahs have a new look front row with Benn Robinson, Hugh Roach, and Angus Ta’avao all getting a start. The Waratahs will also have a new look centre pairing with David Horowitz coming in for Kurtley Beale and Matt Carraro coming in for Rob Horne. On the Rebels side of things, scrumhalf and skipper Nic Stirzacker makes his first start of the season while Reece Hodge comes into the fullback berth and Cam Crawford comes in on the wing in place of Tom English.
Verdict: Rebels 24/10
The loss of Kurtley Beale is a huge blow to the Waratahs. The mercurial utility back is one of the Waratahs most potent threats. His absence may just leave the door open for a Rebels upset and with some fantastic odds on offer, it’s well worth a punt.
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