The matches over the forthcoming Super Rugby weekend are as follows (all times BST) and all prices are courtesy of Bet365.
8.35am Crusaders v Sunwolves – Friday
The Crusaders come off a bye and despite sitting out Round 7 they remain top of the New Zealand Conference, two points clear of the Hurricanes and the Chiefs. They along with the Stormers boast a 100% record so far with two wins in New Zealand derby matches and four against Australian opposition. The last two outings delivered bonus point wins at home to the Force (45-17) and away at the Waratahs (41-22) covering the handicap on both occasions.
After losing their first five matches of the campaign the Sunwolves opened their win account in Tokyo last week, edging out the Bulls 21-20. That was only their second win in Super Rugby since joining the tournament last season and they now find themselves in New Zealand for the first time. In the opening round of matches this season the Sunwolves came up against the Hurricanes in Tokyo and they were thumped 83-17, conceding 13 tries and scoring three. The handicap for that game was set at 27.5 points and a week later the Sunwolves lost to the Kings but their next four outings have seen backers of the Sunwolves with the handicap in the money.
The Crusaders will win this game comfortably and are up at -34 at 10/11 on the handicap. Coming off a bye here I would expect them to cover.
6.05am Reds v Kings – Saturday
The Reds slumped to a sixth successive defeat away at the Brumbies last weekend, going down 43-10. Their only win this season came against South African opposition, edging out the Sharks 28-26 in Round 1. The Reds two other home fixtures saw them fall victim to a Crusaders fight back in a 22-20 defeat and they were competitive for the bulk of a 34-15 loss to the Hurricanes in Round 6. The Reds have won six of the last eight at home to South African opposition.
The Kings started their tour away at the Force last week and it was a game they threatened to win. In the end, they were beaten 46-41, scoring six tries and conceding the same number. The Kings have six points this season and all have been earned away from home including a 37-23 win at the Sunwolves and a 19-17 loss to the Sharks in Durban.
Whilst the 5/1 available on the visitors here doesn’t especially appeal the +17 on the handicap at10/11 does, playing one of the weaker Australian franchises
8.35am Blues v Hurricanes – Saturday
The Blues have lost all four of their New Zealand derby matches this season, most recently 26-20 to the Highlanders in Dunedin. They also lost to the Highlanders in Auckland (16-12) in addition to defeats away to the Chiefs (41-26) and the Crusaders (33-24). Their three wins this season came against the Force, Bulls, and Rebels but the Blues are currently propping up the New Zealand Conference.
The Canes have a record of five wins and one defeat and they are currently two points behind the Crusaders who are setting the pace in the New Zealand Conference. Their only defeat so far came away at the Chiefs (26-18) in Round 3 and in their only other local derby this season they beat the Highlanders 41-15 in Wellington in Round 4. The Hurricanes have won six of their last eight local derby matches and the other defeat also came against the Chiefs in 2016.
The Hurricanes look to be the better side on the evidence of the season so far and can be backed -4 here at 10/11
10.45am Rebels v Brumbies – Saturday
The Rebels sat out Round 7 and they also had a bye in Round 3 but five weeks worth of action have seen them earn just one losing bonus point. Of their five outings the closest the Rebels have come to tasting victory came at home to the Waratahs in Round 5, a game they led 25-6 at halftime but ended up losing 25-32. The Rebels are the only team in the tournament who have yet to win this season
After a 43-10 home win over the Reds last week the Brumbies have a seven-point lead at the top of the Australian Conference with the Force now in second place. They have won their last 10 Australian derby matches including all three this season but three other matches, at home to the Sharks and Highlanders and away to the Crusaders saw the Brumbies go down narrowly.
The Brumbies are nine-point favourites here on the handicap and should cover against one of the poorest of the Australian franchises
14.05pm Cheetahs v Chiefs – Saturday
The Cheetahs have won two and lost four of their six games this season and after a 53-10 hiding off the Stormers in Cape Town in Round 6, they have had two weeks to regroup. The Cheetahs didn’t face New Zealand opposition throughout the 2016 season
Cape Town was the first port of call for the Chiefs in South Africa and their visit to the Stormers last week ended in a 34-26 defeat. That result brought a halt to a five-match
winning streak for the Chiefs who come into this round two points behind New Zealand Conference leaders the Crusaders. In the early stages of the season, the Chiefs won away at the Highlanders and the Rebels and looking ahead the fixtures look pretty favourable as the Chiefs who will visit the Force before back to back home games against the Sunwolves and the Reds.
The Chiefs should bounce back from last week and cover-12 on the handicap here
16.15pm Stormers v Lions – Saturday
With six wins from six matches the Stormers are top of the South Africa Group, currently three points better off than the Lions who are in the second spot. Last week they came through what was probably their biggest test of the season so far with a 34-26 home win over the Chiefs. In South African derby matches this season the Stormers have won at home to the Bulls (37-24)and Cheetahs (53-10) and away from the Kings (41-10) covering minus handicaps on each occasion.
The Lions arrive in Cape Town with a record of five wins and one defeat so far this season. Their only loss came away to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires in Round 3 when they were missing some key players. The Lions sat out Round 7
One of the key matches of the season in the South African conference and the Stormers at home are 3 point favourites and 8/13 outright. I think that is quite generous and will be backing them on both counts.
18.30pm Bulls v Los Jaguares – Saturday
The Bulls have one win and five defeats to show for their efforts so far and they have earned just six points this season. They return from a tour which delivered defeats in New Zealand at the Blues (38-14) and the Chiefs (28-12) before a disastrous 21-20 loss to the Sunwolves in Tokyo. This is only their second home fixture of the campaign.
Jaguares are in the third spot in Africa Conference 2 but only four points behind the Lions and three adrift of the Sharks. Last week they lost 18-13 away at the Sharks whilst an earlier visit to South Africa saw them beat the Kings (39-26) in Port Elizabeth and lose (32-25) to the Stormers in Cape Town. A total of seven visits to South Africa, last season and this have seen the Jaguares win two and lose five and five of those matches have been settled by seven points or less.
The Jaguares are 2 point favourites here, and I think despite their relatively poor home record should win and cover.
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