There's also going to be a mammoth fight for the home quarter-final berths with only three points separating the fifth-placed Crusaders and second-placed Brumbies.
While most of the Round 11 fixtures are ‘David versus Golliath’ affairs, there are a couple games that catch the eye including clashes between the Drua and Hurricanes as well as the all Australian affair with the Rebels and Brumbies squaring off.
Friday 5 May
Highlanders 4/1 | Draw 33/1 | Chiefs 1/6
We kick things off with an all-Kiwi affair which sees two sides experiencing vastly contrasting fortunes go head-to-head in Dunedin. The hosts are currently fighting for a play-off berth while the visitors are eight points clear at the top of the Super Rugby Pacific log.
The Highlanders suffered their second consecutive defeat to Australian opposition last weekend as they went down 21-20 to the Waratahs in New South Wales. And while the Highlanders did launch a big comeback in that fixture – they were 14-6 down at the break – they would ultimately fall short with a 78th-minute converted try seeing them suffer a heartbreak loss.
Their opponents fared a lot better in Round 10 cementing their tournament favourites tag with a 34-24 win over the Crusaders. While they were made to work hard for the win – they trailed the fixture 22-24 with less than ten-minutes on the board – the Chiefs illustrated just how dangerous a side they are with two tries in the final nine minutes seeing them to a vital victory.
While the Chiefs are likely to rest a few big names, I can still see them hammer a Highlanders side that are really struggling this term.
Chiefs on the minus.
Saturday 6 May
Fijian Drua 3/1 | Draw 33/1 | Hurricanes 1/4
Our next fixture should be an absolute cracker with the Fijian Drua playing host to the Hurricanes. Both sides love running the ball so we may well see a boatload of points in this one.
Both teams had tough encounters last weekend with the Hurricanes taking on the Brumbies and the Drua facing off with the Blues. The ‘Canes managed to get through their fixture with a narrow 32-27 win over their Australian opponents, who made a real fist of the affair, while the Drua were well beaten by a Blues side whose kicking game strangled the Fijians.
Saturday’s clash should be an interesting old affair as the duo like to give the ball air. The Drua will need to make sure they see more of the ball this weekend as the Blues suffocated them for possession in Round 10 and this stifled the Fijians’ running game.
They just missed out on staying within the handicap this past weekend but I’m backing the Drua to keep things tight in Round 11.
Drua on the plus.
Crusaders 1/50 | Draw 33/1 | Force 12/1
The Crusaders will be looking to bounce back from their ten-point defeat to tournament pacesetters the Chiefs when they square off with a hit-and-miss Force side this Saturday.
The hosts are only three points adrift of the second-placed Brumbies and will be keen to close the ground on their Australian rivals and move into the home play-off spots, while the Force are two-points off the final quarter-final berth.
While the Crusaders did give a good account of themselves against the Chiefs, they will be bitterly disappointed with how the final ten minutes of the fixture played out as they struggled defensively allowing their title rivals back into the game. Lessons will have been learnt from that ten-point defeat, however, and the ‘Saders will be looking to make a big statement this coming weekend which will be worrying for Force fans.
The Force also head into Saturday’s fixture having suffered a derby loss as they went down 31-17 to the Reds. Despite opening the scoring, the Force were never really in the game with the Queenslanders keeping them at arm’s length for the entirety of the contest.
The Crusaders will be hurting after last weekend’s defeat and I can see them inflicting a bit of pain on the Force, who will no doubt struggle against the Crusaders heavy duty forward pack and world class backs.
Crusaders to clear the handicap.
Blues 1/50 | Draw 33/1 | Moana Pasifika 12/1
The Blues and Moana Pasifika are next up and these two sides are on completely different missions with the visitors looking for their first win of the season while the hosts are looking to move into the top two places on the log.
Beauden Barrett was once again at the fore for the Auckland side with the All Black pivot producing a brilliant territorial kicking game against the Drua that ultimately lead the Blues to a 16-point victory over the Fijians.
While the Blues bagged a win in Round 10, Moana Pasifika suffered another agonizing defeat going down 33-43 to the Rebels. Having trailed 5-26 at half-time, Moana Pasifika worked their way back into the game and got the scoreline down to 33-38 with seconds remaining on the clock. An intercept try for the Rebels would blow the scoreline out, however.
Moana Pasifika have been horrible on the discipline front this term and yellow cards are costing them pints. I can see ill-discipline once again being their downfall this Saturday.
Blues to clear the handicap.
Reds 6/10 | Draw 20/1 | Waratahs 27/20
Saturday’s final fixture will see the Reds and Waratahs square off in Brisbane. This is a massive fixture for both sides as they are yet to secure quarter-final berths with the Reds sixth on the log and two points ahead of the seventh-placed Waratahs.
The duo have been far from flawless this term and have struggled for consistency with the Reds only winning four of their nine fixtures while the waratahs have one three.
The hosts come into this one off a solid if not spectacular 31-17 win over the
Force. They will have been annoyed they were unable to get a bonus point as they needed one more try in the final ten minutes of the fixture but instead coughed up a soft try to the Force.
Their opponents for this weekend fared far better in Round 10 claiming a vital one-point win over the Highlanders courtesy of a late try from replacement hooker Mahe Vailanu.
I’m on the Reds straight win here. There’s not much between the two sides which is why I’m going to play it safe and back the hosts.
Reds at 6/10.
Sunday 7 May
Rebels 11/4 | Draw 25/1 | Brumbies 2/7
Sunday’s solitary fixture is yet another all-Australian affair with the Rebels taking on the Brumbies in Melbourne.
The visitors head into this one off the back of only their second defeat of the campaign as they went down 32-27 to the Hurricanes in Wellington. they actually gave a really good account of themselves in New Zealand’s capital and will be quietly pleased with the losing bonus point they garnered from the fixture.
The Rebels also head into this one off the back of the win having survived a late comeback they ended up edging Moana Pasifika 33-43. They were poor defensively, however, and this will be a major worry for their coaching staff especially as they shipped 43 points against the Crusaders in their previous fixture.
They’re a cut above all the other Australian sides this term and I can see the Brumbies getting another big win here.
Brumbies minus.
