Round 10 of the 2015 Super Rugby season is almost upon us and it is set to be a big one. As we enter the second half of the season the importance of each match is increased and this weekend has a lot of key matches. Continue reading for our weekly Super Rugby Round 10 previews and predictions.
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Crusaders vs Chiefs (Friday 5.35pm AEDT)
The weekend kicks off with a blockbuster match as these two powerhouses go at it to improve their position in the New Zealand conference. The Crusaders have had a disappointing season thus far but a win here would put them back in the finals chase. At the moment they find themselves fourth in their conference and 8th overall, whilst the Chiefs are trailing only the Hurricanes in the conference and have the top spot in the wild card draw. The Crusaders are coming off of a loss at home last week to the Highlanders and it is unlikely that they will lose two games in a row at home, however if there is a team to beat them at this stage it is the Chiefs who are fresh as they are coming off of a bye.
TIP: Chiefs 1-12 @ $3.20 with Sportsbet
Hurricanes vs Waratahs (Saturday 2.30pm AEDT)
The Hurricanes are flying high and are undefeated in the seven matches they have played. They have improved throughout the season and their attack and defence is clearly the best in the competition. They are coming off of a bye and will be fresh against the Waratahs side that suffered a disappointing loss last week. After leading for the majority of the match, the Stormers came home strong and the Tahs couldn’t match their intensity as they slumped to their third loss of the season. The Hurricanes are at home and should win but the Waratahs are the defending champions for a reason and could produce an upset.
TIP: Waratahs +5.5 @ $1.92 with Palmerbet
Highlanders vs Blues (Saturday 5.35pm AEDT)
The Highlanders are coming off of a big win against the Crusaders last week that has catapulted them into wildcard position. They need to back that win up again this week as they face the Blues who sit on the bottom of the New Zealand conference. The Blues finally got off the mark last week in an upset victory at home against the Brumbies who sit on top of the Australian Conference. I can’t see them having two upsets in a row and with the Highlanders winning all three meetings at the Forsyth Barr Stadium they should win this one quite comfortably.
TIP: Highlanders -5.5 @ $1.92 with Luxbet
Brumbies vs Rebels (Saturday 7.40pm AEDT)
The Brumbies slumped to a disappointing loss last week to the bottom placed Blues but they will be looking to turn things around this week against a side they have a great record against. The Canberra side has never lost at home to the Rebels in four meetings and have a 7-2 record overall. The Rebels were another team to have a bye last weekend and will be looking to come out strong and secure the upset as this is close to a do or die match for them in regards to making the finals. The Brumbies are short priced favourites and there isn’t much value in this match so I suggest steering clear.
TIP: No bet
Western Force vs Stormers (Saturday 9.45pm AEDT)
This weekend will be the fourth week in a row that the Stormers will play on the road. Last week their tour improved as they beat the Waratahs but they had suffered two losses before that in New Zealand. They need to secure a win here before heading home to move back into a strong position in their South African conference and to maintain their finals push. The Western Force will be playing for pride for the rest of the season as they still haven’t registered a victory since the opening round. The Stormers will be too good for the Force and giving them only a 4.5 point start is great value.
TIP: Stormers -4.5 @ $1.90 with Sportsbet
Sharks vs Bulls (Sunday 1.05am AEDT)
The Sharks have had a mid season slump as they lost their last two matches against the Lions and before that the Crusaders smashed them. They are at home this week against the Bulls who sit on the top of the conference and a loss here would really hurt their finals push as the gap would increase drastically. The Bulls have a good record against the Sharks and even have a favourable record at the Sharks home stadium at Kings Park. The Bulls won this match up earlier in the season and I think they will get their again.
TIP: Bulls @ $2.05 with Sportsbet
Cheetahs vs Reds (Sunday 3.05am AEDT)
The Cheetahs return home after a good win against the Force last week but they still sit on the bottom of the South African conference and are unlikely to play a part in the finals. If they have any chance they will need to take advantage of this match against the lowly Reds and whilst they are at home. The Reds should be better than they were last week and I predict a very attacking game with both the Reds and Cheetahs willing to throw the ball around. The Cheetahs have a 4-1 advantage at home and I predict they will improve on that this weekend.
TIP: Cheetahs -6 @ $1.92 with Luxbet
