The bye weeks are coming thick and fast with a number of teams enjoying a break this weekend as a few did last weekend.
Friday 14 April
Moana Pasifika 16/10 | Draw 22/1 | Reds 5/10
Handicap
*TBA
The Reds will be looking to bounce back from a poor derby performance when they take on the still winless Moana Pasifika at Apria Park in Friday’s early kick-off. This will be Moana Pasifika’s first official home fixture for the season having played the rest of their games out of Mt Smart in Auckland.
This weekend’s visitors were absolutely dire in Round 7 as they went down 24-52 at home to domestic rivals the Brumbies. Having taken a 7-0 lead early in the fixture, the Reds saw the game turn on its head when Angus Blythe hit Corey Toole late and Blythe was given a red card. While they did manage to stay in the game, taking a 17-14 lead into half-time, they were shattered during the final quarter of the game and let in a load of tries.
Moana Pasifika were brave in defeat, going down 38-21 to the Crusaders. This weekend’s hosts actually enjoyed a stellar start to the game and took a 17-21 lead into half-time courtesy of two tries from barnstorming center Levi Aumua.
The last quarter of a game once again exposed Moana Pasifikas weaknesses as they shipped three tries while not adding to their points tally of 21. This is something they will need to sort out if they are to break their duck this weekend.
I reckon we’ll get a real solid showing from the hosts. Their home crowd will be right behind them and this should strengthen their resolve in the final quarter of this fixture. The Reds are also playing horrendous rugby at the minute and giving away more penalties than a Granit Xhaka circa-2017.
Pasifika on the plus.
Brumbies 1/14 | Draw 40/1 | Fijian Drua
Handicap
*TBA
We travel across to Australia for our next fixture which sees Aussie pacesetters, the Brumbies, take on the unpredictable Drua at the GIO Stadium. The hosts continued their solid start to their Super Rugby Pacific campaign as they registered a 24-52 bonus-point win over an ill-disciplined Reds side.
Taking full advantage of countless penalties and fatigue caused by the Reds being given a red card early in the first half, the Brumbies ran in a plethora of second half tries to register their sixth win of the season and sure up third place on the log.
While the Brumbies were getting one over their domestic foes, the Drua would have had their feet up watching all the action unfold as the Fjians enjoyed a bye week in Round 7. They were good value in Round 6 as they played the Rebels off the park, running out 38-28 victors over Melbourne’s finest.
While the Drua have made some good progress with their scrums and rolling maul defence, I think these will be two areas the Brumbies will exploit. I can see the Brumbies winning this one at a canter.
Brumbies to clear the handicap.
Saturday 15 April
Hurricanes 11/10 | Draw 18/1 | Chiefs 8/10
Handicap
*TBA
Our penultimate game of the weekend and Saturday’s opener is set to be a cracker with the Hurricanes and Chiefs squaring off in a top of the table clash in Wellington.
The hosts leapfrogged the Chiefs into second place this past weekend with their 14-29 win over the Highlanders seeing them to the summit of the podium for the first time this term. While it was far from the Hurricanes most fluid display this term, their coaching staff will be happy with the performance particularly the showing from halfback Cameron Roigard, who was absolutely electric.
While the Hurricanes were registering a win over the Highlanders, the Chiefs enjoyed a bye week. The men from Waikato headed into their break undefeated with their hardfought 13-20 Round 6 win over the Blues being their latest result.
This should be an absolute belter of a New Zealand derby and it’s certainly not one to miss. I reckon the hosts will edge it by the narrowest of margins.
Get on the Canes at 11/10.
Waratahs 1/3 | Draw 22/1 | Western Force 24/10
Handicap
*TBA
The weekend comes to a close out in Melbourne where the ninth-placed Rebels will be looking for only their third wn of the campaign when they take on the fourth-placed Crusaders, who have claimed five wins from their seven outings.
The hosts have struggled for results of late and suffered their latest defeat this past weekend as they were dominated by the Blues. who beat them 17-54 in Melbourne. It was another dire defensive showing from the Rebels who have the second worst defensive record in Super Rugby Pacific.
The Crusaders, while nowhere near their best, enjoyed a far more positive Round 7 as a solid second-half showing saw them claim a 38-21 come-from-behind victory over Moana Pasifika.
I fear for the Rebels here. The Crusaders will be hunting the bonus point win and I fully expect them to claim the full five-pint haul and run up a big score against the defensively woeful Rebels.
Saders on the minus.
