Matches this weekend are as follows. All prices quoted are Bet365.
Friday 7th April
8.35am Hurricanes v Waratahs
The Hurricanes have a record of four wins and one defeat and they are third best in the New Zealand Conference, six points behind the Crusaders. This will be their third outing against Australian opposition this season, in Round 2 they thrashed the Rebels 71-6 here and last weekend they had to work harder before seeing off the Reds and obliging for minus handicap backers with a 34-15 bonus point win in Brisbane.
The Waratahs were involved in the final match of the previous round, a 41-22 home defeat to the Crusaders on Sunday. They remain in second spot in the Australian Conference with two wins and four defeats three points behind the Brumbies. They now face New Zealand opposition for the second week running, they were 8.5 point underdogs last weekend and have been worth opposing on the handicap in five of their six outings so far
The Hurricanes are 18 point favourites here. One of the strongest Super 18 Teams, at home, I expect them to cover at10/11.
Saturday 8th April
6.15am Sunwolves v Bulls
After back to back Super Rugby defeats in New Zealand the Bulls head to Tokyo for Saturday’s Round 7 clash with the Sunwolves, the second meeting between the teams this season.
Since losing 34-21 to the Bulls in Pretoria in Round 4, the Sunwolves made the Stormers work hard for a 44-31 victory in Singapore, a game they were very much in heading into the final 10 minutes. They were 20 point underdogs against the Stormers and the handicap settled at more than 30 points for the meeting with the Bulls and it was a similar story when they gave the Cheetahs a mighty scare in a 38-31 defeat in Bloem in Round 3. Those last three performances are a big step up on a Round 2 defeat to the Kings in Singapore and after a bye last week they return to action in Tokyo, scene of an 83-17 hiding at the hands of the Hurricanes in the first week of the tournament.
The Bulls remain stuck on five points after departing from a two-match tour of New Zealand empty handed. They threatened a surprise against the Chiefs last week, leading 9-3 at half time but they ended up going down 28-12. A week earlier the Bulls were level
at 7-7 at the interval against the Blues but they lost 38-14 and their only win so far this season is the aforementioned clash with the Sunwolves at Loftus.
The Bulls are 17 point favourites here but the improved performances by the Japanese side so far this season, running good teams close, suggests that they can be supported +17 on the handicap at 10/11.
8.35am Highlanders v Blues
The only New Zealand Conference derby this weekend takes place in Dunedin.
The Highlanders are bottom of the New Zealand Conference with three wins and three defeats. Their points tally has been improved in the last two rounds with a narrow victory at the Brumbies and last time out they saw off a poor Rebels side 51-12 picking up a bonus point in the process.
The Blues are one point and one place better off than the Highlanders after completing back to back home wins over the Bulls and the Force. Although they covered the handicap and picked up a bonus point against the Bulls they couldn’t get a full house against the Force last weekend. The Blues other win came away at the Rebels on the opening weekend and aside from the defeat to the Highlanders New Zealand derby matches away at the Chiefs (41-26) and Crusaders (33-24) have ended in defeat.
One of the closer games of the weekend is in prospect. I will be taking the Highlanders-4 at home here at 10/11
10.45am Brumbies v Reds
The Brumbies return from a bye to take on the Reds in Canberra on Saturday and the home side have an excellent record in Australian Conference derby matches in recent times.
The Brumbies come off a bye having being edged out by the Highlanders in Canberra in Round 5. They remain top of the Australian Conference, three points clear of the Waratahs and it’s their record in Australian derby matches which is responsible. The two Brumbies wins this season came at home to the Force and away at the Waratahs. The Brumbies can boast a nine game winning streak in Australian derby matches which includes the whole of 2016 and they have won the last four head to heads with the Reds.
In contrast to the Brumbies the Reds have lost their last eight Australian derby matches including a defeat to the Force in Perth in Round 2 of the current campaign. They haven’t won since Round 1 when they edged out the Sharks in Brisbane and they were comfortably beaten away at the Lions and Jaguares. Away from home they have lost 11 on the spin.
The Brumbies -5 here is one of the bets of the weekend on the points handicaps
2.05pm Sharks v Los Jaguares
The Sharks put in a terrific effort away to the Lions last weekend but they went down 34-29 and they are now five points behind the Lions in Africa Conference 2. . The Sharks have won both their home games this season beating the Waratahs 37-14 and the Kings 19-17
Jaguares are back in South Africa where they won 39-26 at the Kings in Round 1 and lost 32-25 to the Stormers in Cape Town in Round 2. They have since completed three successive home wins including victory over the Lions and Cheetahs in Buenos Aires. Since joining Super Rugby last season Jaguares have won two of their six visits to South Africa including their tournament debut at the Cheetahs. Jaguares look a much stronger outfit this season and this will be a good test of their play off aspirations but so far it is their home advantage that gives them that chance rather than away games.
The Sharks are 5 point handicap favourites here. At home in a key game against conference rivals i think -5 should be taken
4.15pm Stormers v Chiefs
Heading into Round 7 of Super Rugby two sides with 100% records clash in Cape Town on Saturday when the Stormers take on the Chiefs.
The Stormers are already 13 points clear at the top of Africa Conference 1 after they put the Cheetahs away 53-10 in Cape Town last week, running in eight tries in their biggest win of the season so far. The Stormers have won all five of their matches in 2017 and the highest placed of their victims so far are Los Jaguares who were beaten 32-25 at Newlands in Round 2. These next few weeks will tell us plenty about the Stormers who host the Lions in Round 8 before they head to New Zealand for a three match tour.
The Chiefs trailed 9-3 to the Bulls in Hamilton last week but they preserved their own 100% record by turning the game round in the second half in a 28-12 win. They have stepped outside of New Zealand just once this season, a hard earned 27-14 win at the struggling Rebels in Round 4 although the Chiefs did rest or bench some regular starters for that particular game.
The Chiefs are possibly the strongest of the New Zealand franchises playing a side that has beaten inferior opposition all season. As only three-point favourites here at10/11 the Chiefs are amongst the strongest bets of the weekend
Sunday 9th April
7.05am Force v Kings
The Force have one win and four defeats against their name but the victory came in their only home game to date, 26-19 over the Reds in Round 2.
The Kings sat out Round 6 and they return to action bidding to add to their one victory in five outings, a 37-23 win over the Sunwolves in Singapore in Round 2. The Kings have only played two games in Australia, both came back in 2013
Two of the weakest Super18 sides, the Force are the stronger of these two outfits and are 17 point favourites in a game that doesn’t really appeal from a betting perspective.
Always remeber to compare odds in all our green listed bookmakers to make sure you are getting the best available price.
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