The first round of cross-conference action in the Super Rugby Pacific went almost according to book with the only anomaly in New Zealand dominance being the Highlanders who went down to the Brumbies.
The first round of cross-conference action went almost according to book with the only anomaly in New Zealand dominance being the Highlanders who went down to the Brumbies.
Elsewhere, it was a clean sweep for the sides from the ‘land of the long white cloud’ with the Crusaders beating the Rebels, the Blues beating the Drua, the Chiefs smashing the Tahs and a late show from the Hurricanes sealing them a win over the Reds.
Will the theme continue this weekend or will the Australian Conference sides repeat the Reds’ heroics.
Super Rugby Pacific | Friday 29 April
Reds v Chiefs
Suncorp Stadium
11:45To Win (80 Mins)Reds 2/1Draw 22/1Chiefs 4/10
HandicapReds (+6.5) 9/10Chiefs (-6.5) 9/10
We kick things off on Friday with a clash between the Reds and the Chiefs. The hosts gave a solid account of themselves during the opening 30 minutes of their clash against the Canes and were looking good 17-0 up with ten minutes to the half time whistle. Two tries before the teams went into the sheds from the ‘Canes would turn the game on its head, however. The writing was pretty much on the wall for the Reds after those two tries as the Hurricanes had found their rhythm and would go onto win the game 30-17 with the Reds not scoring a single point in the final 50 minutes of the game.
The Chiefs had a far better time in the previous round as they beat the Waratahs 51-27 last Friday. Wingers James Lowe and Quinn Tupaea – who selection out wide was something of a shock considering he usually operates in the midfield – had an absolute field day with Lowe bagging four tries and Tupaea helping himself to a double.
Verdict: Reds (+6.5) 9/10The Chiefs are extremely hot on attack but not so much on defence. I expect another open game here and one that goes down to the wire and is won by the smallest of margins. With that in mind, the Reds plus looks a smart play.
Super Rugby Pacific | Friday 29 April
Force v Blues
HBF Park Stadium 14:00
To Win (80 Mins)Force 9/1Draw 45/1
Blues 1/25Handicap
Force (+23.5) 9/10
Blues (-23.5) 9/10
After having their game against Moana Pasifika called off due to a COVID outbreak, the Force will finally get their first taste of cross-conference action as they take on the Overall Conference leaders, the Auckland Blues. The Blues were given a solid test this past weekend as they came up against a determined Fijian Drua side. The Blues came through that testing encounter, however, as they ran out 35-18 victors. In further good news for the men from Auckland, off-season recruit Roger Tuivasa-Scheck having a solid 60 minute outing next to Bauden Barett. As touched on earlier, the Force were off last weekend with their latest outing being against the Waratahs just shy of a fortnight ago. They lost that particular fixture 24-41. Verdict: Force (+23.5) 9/10The Force are a very strange team and they tend to deliver the goods when they are complete underdogs. While I can’t see them winning this one, I can see them staying within what is a rather large handicap.
Super Rugby Pacific | Saturday 30 April
Fijian Drua v Highlanders
ANZ Stadium
05:35To Win (80 Mins)
Fijian Drua 7/2
Draw 33/1Highlanders 1/5Handicap
Fijian Drua (+11.5) 9/10Highlanders (-11.5) 9/10The Highlanders will be looking to put their defeat to the Brumbies behind them when they take on the Drua in Saturday’s opening fixture.
The New Zealand’s sides woeful campaign went from bad to worse last weekend as they suffered their eighth defeat of the season going down 17-28 to the Brumbies in Melbourne. The loss has left them playing catch up for a play-offs berth with only weeks remaining in the regular season.
While the Drua also suffered a defeat last weekend they actually gave a really good account of themselves against the tournament’s pace setters, the Blues. They had some magical moments with ball-in-hand and their opening try will certainly be a contender for five-pointer of the tournament.Verdict: Drua (+11.5) 9/10I ‘m going to have a bet on the Drua on both the plus and the straight win. The Highlanders have had absolutely no luck this term and I can see their season getting worse here.
Super Rugby Pacific | Saturday 30 April
Waratahs v Crusaders
Leichhardt Oval
09:05To Win (80 Mins)Waratahs 8/1Draw 35/1Crusaders 1/20
Handicap
Waratahs (+22.5) 9/10Crusaders (-22.5) 9/10We could well be in for a high-scoring affair at the Leichhardt Oval as the Crusaders come to town to take on a Waratahs side that has been involved in a number of points-filled fixtures. The hosts were at their glorious free running and defensively porous best this past weekend as they let in seven tries while scoring three of their own. they could have actually bagged a couple more for themselves had some errant decision making and last ditch defending not got in their way. Scott Robertson’s men had a much better time of it in Round 10 as they beat the Melbourne Rebels 17-42. While they got off to a rather slow start – it took them 19 minutes to get their first try of the game and they didn’t score another point in the first half after that try – they did come home with a wet sail scoring a further five tries in the second half.
Verdict: Crusaders (-22.5) 9/10
Just like the Chiefs did last weekend, I reckon the Crusaders will take the Waratahs apart in the second half.
Super Rugby Pacific | Saturday 30 April
Rebels v Moana Pasifika
Rebels v Moana Pasifika
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
11:45To Win (80 Mins)Rebels 5/10
Draw 20/1Moana Pasifika 7/4Handicap
Rebels (-6.5) 9/10
Moana Pasifika (+6.5) 9/10
After a week off due to a COVID break in the Western Force camp, Moana Pasifika get their next shot at claiming their second win of the season when they take on the Rebels. The hosts gave a good account of themselves for about 20 minutes against the Crusaders last weekend and then the floodgates opened and they ultimately went down 42-17 with talisman Reece Hodge and lock Matt Phillip grabbing the consolation tries.
Moana Pasifika struggled in their last hit out as they went down 45-12 to the Chefs in Round 9. They had endured a heavy fixtures list prior to that defeat, however, and they should be far more of a threat here.
Verdict: Moana Pasifika
really fancy the new boys to take the spoils here. This is a drop in class when it comes to opposition.
Super Rugby Pacific | Sunday 1 May
Brumbies v Hurricanes
GIO Stadium06:00To Win (80 Mins)
Brumbies 14/10Draw 20/1
Hurricanes 6/10Handicap
Brumbies (+3.5) 9/10
Hurricanes (-3.5) 9/10Over to our final game of the weekend which will see the Brumbies and Hurricanes square off at the GIO Stadium on Sunday.
The hosts got their cross-conference run of fixtures off to an ideal start as they registered an impressive 17-28 win over the Highlanders, which ensured they’d be the only Australian Conference side to pick up a win last weekend.
The Hurricanes also fared rather well although they were forced to come from 17 points behind – such a Hurricanes thing to do – to beat the Reds 30-17.
Verdict: HurricanesI reckon it will be tight but I can see the Hurricanes claiming this one. Dr)
