An incident-packed Super Rugby Pacific season comes to a close this Saturday and for the third time running we have an all Kiwi final with the Blues taking on the Chiefs at Eden Park.
Both sides have played some incredible rugby this term with this billed as clash of styles with the Blues having adopted a more conservative playing style while the Chiefs are still the free-running maniacs we’ve come to know over the years.
To Win Match (80 Mins)
Blues 9/20 | Draw 20/1 | Chiefs 37/20
Handicap
Blues (-5.5) 9/10 | Chiefs (+5.5) 9/10
The Vern Cotter effect has well and truly galvanized the Blues this term. The veteran coach’s appointment has seen the Blues become a more systems-based team but one that is built for finals rugby.
The above is evident when you take a look at their play-offs results. In the quarter-finals, they kept the Drua at arm’s length for the entire encounter, and while they could have added more points to their tally, they showed a lot of maturity with their game management during the 36-5 win.
They followed that up with a solid showing against the Brumbies in the semi-finals going up 26-6 within 21 minutes of the first half and then putting in a solid defensive showing which only allowed the Brumbies to cross their try line twice.
While the Blues have stuck to a system, the Chiefs have been a real off-the-cuff side, which rather suits them, especially with the mercurial Damien McKenzie pulling the strings from 10 in what has been a stunning campaign for the diminutive All Black.
McKenzie and his dual play-making partner, Shaun Stevenson, were in sensational form during the quarter-final as they tore the Reds apart in a first-half blitz that laid the platform for them to beat the Aussie franchise 43-21. McKenzie then backed it up again this past weekend as the Chiefs travelled to Wellington to take on the Hurricanes. McKenzie dictated things at ten and also put in a solid performance off the kicking tee.
In terms of team news for this one, the Blues received a massive boost this week with veteran lock Patrick Tuipulotu miraculously recovering from a knee injury that kept him out of last week’s semi-final. The Chiefs have received a mixed bag when it comes to injuries, with Stevenson set to return this weekend but All Black hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho has been ruled out.
Looking at the recent head-to-heads between the sides, the Blues have been the dominant force winning four of the last five clashes between the sides. When they met at Eden Park earlier this season the Blues ran out 31-17 victors.
Verdict: Chiefs (+5.5) 9/10
While I do think the Blues will win this one, I reckon it’s going to be tight which is why I’m leaning towards the plus. I’ll also be having small crack on this one ending in a draw after 80-minutes and the fixture going to Golden Point.
