The 2016 Super Rugby season has just two rounds of the regular season remaining as the top sides are looking to book their place in the finals series. Last week we correctly picked 7 of our 9 betting tips for a huge profit. Continue reading for our Super Rugby Round 16 Preview and Betting Tips.
- - -
Blues vs Brumbies (Friday 5.30pm AEST)
The Blues blew a halftime lead against the Hurricanes last week that has all but ended the side’s chance of reaching the finals. It was another strong showing from the Auckland side as they have been competitive in nearly all of their matches but they have missed out on victories on far too many occasions. However, a lot of that can be contributed to playing in the hard New Zealand conference as it is rare for them to have one of the easier opponents.
It will be another tough ask for the Blues this weekend despite playing at home as they are up against Brumbies outfit that showed they are clicking with their demolition of the Reds last week whilst they will want to continue that momentum into the finals. They are sitting on the same amount of points as the Waratahs on the top of the Australian conference and their place isn’t yet booked in the knock out stages. This will see the side give their everything on Friday night and come away with a victory on the back of their superior forward pack and back line.
TIP: Brumbies 1-12 @ $2.80 with William Hill
Reds vs Chiefs (Friday 7.45pm AEST)
The Reds season has been over for a long period of time and they will be looking forward to the offseason. However, it hasn’t stopped the side from competing in their games and despite a big score line being put on them against the Brumbies on the weekend, they kept trying until the final whistle and I expect a similar attitude this weekend. The Reds have been a lot stronger on their home soil and they now have close to a full strength squad after being hampered by injuries at the beginning of the season.
The Chiefs picked up a massive win last week against the Crusaders as they defeated them for the second time this season. The victory put them into the top spot on the New Zealand conference and they have one more competition point then the Crusaders. They will want to put a big score line on their opponents this weekend and grab the important bonus point and we think they will be capable of doing it as they looked refreshed last week after the month break.
TIP: Chiefs -13.5 @ $1.90 with CrownBet
Lions vs Kings (Saturday 3am AEST)
The Lions have been the biggest surprise this season and are currently sitting on the top of the overall ladder. They have one of the best forward packs in the league and they are very strong at the set pieces. Their backline shows a lot of flair and they have scored more points than any other team in the competition. They proved they deserve their spot on the ladder last week with a 37-10 victory over conference rivals the Sharks.
Meanwhile the Kings have struggled all season and are sitting on the bottom of the table with the Sunwolves. They have registered just two victories this year and there is more chance of Leicester City going back-to-back in the Premier League than for the Kings to cause an upset this weekend but we will be taking them with a huge line advantage
TIP: Kings +35.5 @ $1.91 with Ladbrokes
Crusaders vs Rebels (Saturday 5.35pm AEST)
The Rebels fell to the Stormers last week but they were competitive in the contest and looked threatening until the final 15-minutes of the match. They trailed at half time but levelled the scores early in the second before a sinbinning gave the Stormers a massive advantage and they capitalised on it.
Meanwhile the Crusaders played in the match of the round against the chiefs and suffered their second loss against them this season. The Crusaders have only lost one other game against another New Zealand opponent the Highlanders. The Crusaders are big favourites in this one and they will come away with the victory, however the line is right on the mark and it will be hard to see if this is a close match or if the Crusaders run away with it. The Rebels will be negative after yet another disappointing loss last week and with the Crusaders playing on their home soil we are predicting them to run away with this in the final 20-minutes of the contest.
TIP: Crusaders -17.5 @ $1.90 with Sportsbet
Waratahs vs Hurricanes (Saturday 7.45pm AEST)
This is essentially a semi-final for the Waratahs as a loss would see them drop away from a spot in the finals series whilst they will likely fall away from the Brumbies for the top spot in the Australian conference.
The Tahs put on a strong showing against the Sunwolves as they earned a bonus point victory but it took them a while to get going. They can’t afford to have a slow start against the Canes this weekend, as they will get punished on the scoreboard. This is arguably the match of the round as it is just as important for the Hurricanes to come away with a victory, as they are a part of the massive logjam as well.
The two sides forward packs are relatively even and neither team should have a massive edge at the set pieces. However, in the back line it will be a real battle with the Waratahs mixing experience with young talent and the Hurricanes having a similar approach. For the Hurricanes, it all starts with their fly half Beauden Barrett and they will need a big performance from him to earn the victory in Sydney, a venue where they have only one three times in ten attempts. Meanwhile the Tahs will be looking for Israel Folau to continue his try scoring form as he has made a successful move from the fullback position to outside centre. The home field advantage will be massive for the Tahs in this one and we see them pulling off a narrow, nail biting victory.
TIP: Waratahs 1-12 @ $2.85 with William Hill
Force vs Stormers (Saturday 9.55pm AEST)
The Stormers earned a vital win against the Rebels on the weekend and they were forced to fight for their victory. This weekend they should come out on top a lot easier and the bookmakers believe so too as their line has been pushed out drastically compared to the line that was given to them against the Rebels.
The Stormers have the second best defence in the competition whilst the Force has the second worst attack. This will likely lead to the Force struggling to crack the defence of the Stormers, which means the away side coming away with a comfortable victory. The Stormers were able to crack the half century last week and we are predicting them to put on another big score line this weekend against a weaker opponent.
TIP: Stormers -9.5 @ $1.91 with Ladbrokes
Bulls vs Sunwolves (Sunday 1.05am AEST)
The Bulls disappointing loss to the Jaguares last week has ended their hopes of playing in the finals series this week as the side has fallen away in the second half of the season. They were rocked with a devastating injury to their star flyhalf Handre Pollard prior to the season starting and that has eventually been their downfall, as they have needed his leadership and ability in the bigger and more important matches.
The Sunwolves have earned just the one win this season and they suffered a big loss last week on their home soil against the Waratahs. This is the second time they will be facing off against the Bulls and they had a positive first performance against them. Both sides crossed for three tries but it was the Sunwolves ill discipline that let them down as the Bulls earned a narrow victory. We believe the line favours the Bulls far too much as the Sunwolves will be competitive in this contest.
TIP: Sunwolves +31.5 @ $1.91 with Ladbrokes
Sharks vs Cheetahs (Sunday 3.05am AEST)
The Cheetahs were lucky to escape with their fourth win of the season on the weekend as the Force missed a penalty after the siren from right in front that would have put them in the lead. It was a solid attacking match as neither team has anything to play for but pride. It is unlikely we will see a similar contest this weekend as the Sharks have been relying on their defence all season to earn victories. However, that failed them last week as the Lions were able to crack their defence far too easily as the Sharks suffered a big loss.
The Cheetahs don’t have an offence as strong as the Lions and the Sharks should be able to hold them out a lot easier. Meanwhile, as the side relies heavily on penalty goals, we see this being a close contest with the Sharks coming away with a narrow win.
TIP: Sharks 1-12 @ $2.70 with William Hill
Jaguares vs Highlanders (Sunday 7.40am AEST)
The Highlanders cruised to victory against the Kings last week but it will be a tougher task for them this weekend on the road against the Jaguares. The Argentinian side put their strongest team on the field last week and it paid dividends as they pulled off their best win of the season. However, the defending champions will be a tougher challenge then the Bulls and it is a must win game for the Highlanders as they will need to cement their position in the finals.
The Jaguares forward pack was strong last week and that could be an area where they get an advantage against the Highlanders. However, the defending champions have one of the best defences in the team and are the best at turning the ball over and turning it into a counter attack. Whilst the Jaguares will put up a strong fight, the Highlanders will come away with a comfortable victory.
TIP: Highlanders -6 @ $1.90 with Sportsbet
_ _ _
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
