The 2017 Super Rugby season continues this weekend and we are hoping for another strong weekend for the Australian clubs, after the Force were able to secure a huge victory in Argentina against the Jaguares. We take a look at every game of the weekend in our Super Rugby Round 13 Preview and Betting Tips below.
2017 Super Rugby Round 13 Betting Tips
Chiefs vs Crusaders (Friday 5.35pm AEST)
The weekend starts with a mouthwatering clash between the Chiefs and Crusaders. The Crusaders are coming off their biggest challenge so far this season and again they were able to overcome it. They had the home field advantage against the Crusaders and that ultimately proved the difference as the crowd were able to will them to victory. The tight win proved the Crusaders have what it takes to dig deep defensively as they held the Hurricanes to penalty goals and didn’t concede a try. It is a huge effort against one of the best attacking teams in the competition and they will need a repeat effort on Friday night.
This will be the first time these two sides are meeting and fortunately for the Chiefs they will have the home field advantage. They have only one loss next to their names for this season and that was on the road against the Stormers. They will need to be at their best to secure victory in this one but we are predicting the Crusaders forward pack will be too dominant in this one as they earn another narrow win.
TIP: Crusaders at the margin (1-12) - $2.85 at William Hill
Stormers vs Blues (Saturday 3am AEST)
The Blues chances of reaching the finals continue to grow, despite being on the bottom of the New Zealand conference. The side earned a convincing victory over the Cheetahs in a high scoring match but they will be on the road in this one and they will need to be at their best. The Blues have been solid defensively this season but they showed a lot of flaws early as they allowed the Cheetahs to play counterattacking rugby and find the try line. They will need to limit their turnovers in this one as the Stormers are another strong side who like to take advantage in this area. The Blues were able to get the advantage in the second half and they scored seven tries to four to earn the victory. Rieko Ioane continues to be a standout for the side and he crossed for two tries.
The Stormers will enter this match on the back of a bye and will be fresh for the contest. They are holding onto top spot in South Africa Conference 1 very comfortably and they will be just competing for a better overall position on the ladder. We believe they will be tough to beat on home soil and they will take out this one.
TIP: Stormers at the margin (1-12) - $2.90 at Sportsbet
Hurricanes vs Cheetahs (Saturday 5.35pm AEST)
Unfortunately for the Cheetahs they will be facing the Hurricanes at a bad time. They are a side that don’t take losing lightly and they will be out to secure a huge victory after suffering a loss against the Cruaders last week. They had the majority of the possession and territory but were unable to find the breakthrough – they shouldn’t have this problem against a poor defensive team such as the Cheetahs.
The Cheetahs will look to push the ball when they have it in their hands but it won’t be a successful tactic to outscore a side who is one of the best attacking teams in the competition. The Hurricanes have plenty of points in them and we can see this one turning ugly early on.
TIP: Hurricanes at the line (-26.5) - $1.90 at CrownBet
Force vs Highlanders (Saturday 7.45pm AEST)
Can the Force do it again? We don’t think so. Their victory last week against the Jaguares is a shining light in a dark season that could end in the club folding. However, it does show the character of the side that they aren’t willing to lie down despite everything that is thrown against them. We are expecting a strong showing from the side on home soil but unfortunately they won’t be able to cause an upset against the Highlanders.
The New Zealand side is playing its last game on the road before heading home and they will want to make it a perfect trip. They weren’t convincing in their last victory against the Bulls but ultimately they got the job done. They were able to have a great escape for the second week in a row with Malakai Fekitoa crossing for a try in the final five minutes. We don’t think they will need to rely on last minute heroics in this one.
TIP: Highlanders at the margin (13+) - $2.00 at Ladbrokes
Sunwolves vs Sharks (Saturday 9.55pm AEST)
The Sunwolves have only registered on victory this season, but to their credit it did come against the Bulls, a South African opposition, and on home soil. They enjoyed a bye last week and we believe they will be up for this match. They have kept the majority of their matches close this season – minus their opening two matches of the season.
Meanwhile the Sharks suffered a disappointing loss on the road last week against the Kings. It has put a dent in their chances of earning a playoff spot and they won’t want to lose to another low team where they are expected to earn a victory, if not, a bonus point. We believe they will be out to chase that extra point and are tipping them to earn a big victory in this one.
TIP: Sharks at the margin (13+) - $1.90 at William Hill
Lions vs Bulls (Sunday 1.15am AEST)
It was ill-discipline that ultimately cost the Bulls in their latest match against the Highlanders. The loss has all but ended their disappointing season which also saw them lose to the Sunwolves. The side has been poor in attack for the majority of the year while their defence has been inconsistent.
Meanwhile the Lions have been the best South African side for the past two season. They have flown under the radar for the majority of this year and we believe they are going to peak at the right time of the year. They have only lost one game all season, have one of the better forward packs in the competition and are deadly in attack. We believe they will come away with a large victory in this one.
TIP: Lions at the line (-14.5) - $1.90 at Sportsbet
Kings vs Brumbies (Sunday 3.30am AEST)
The Kings were a side that was meant to lose the majority of their matches this season and while they do have a losing record, their four wins have been impressive. They include victories over the Waratahs on the road while last week they secured a win against Conference rivals the Sharks. It is a credit to the side that will be exiting the competition at the end of the year. They play with a lot of fluency in attack and it will be hard to defend against for the Brumbies.
The Brumbies will be hoping to earn more points out of their attack this week, after they spent the majority of the opening forty minutes camped in the Lions half and with the ball in hands but only earned three points. Their 3-0 lead at half time quickly evaporated and the side suffered a 13-6 loss. It was the second home game in a row that the Brumbies have failed to score a try and we can’t see their attack being much better on the road – however they will score points against the Kings. We believe the home side will be able to come out on top, with a more crisp attack.
TIP: Kings to win - $2.45 at CrownBet
Waratahs vs Rebels (Sunday 4.05pm AEST)
The only way the Waratahs season could get worse? Lose another game on home soil, against a side that could be removed from the competition next season. However, fortunately for them we don’t believe that will happen. The Waratahs had a much needed bye last weekend and the players should be fresh heading into this one. They will be hoping for a big performance out of their spine, especially Israel Folau who has been challenged for his fullback spot by Karmichael Hunt. Folau has been one of the first picked for the Wallabies since his arrival in union and he and fans will be hoping for a dominant performance.
Meanwhile the Rebels will enter this match after a narrow defeat on home soil against Australian rivals the Reds. They trailed at half time 17-9 but were able to come back and level the scores at 24 with flanker Will Miller and winger Marika Koroibete both finding their way over the try line. However, it wasn’t to be as the Reds were able to seal it with a try to Kerevi in the final minutes. We are predicting the Rebels to show a lot of fight in this one – similar to the match they played against the Waratahs earlier in the season – but ultimately the Waratahs will have too much class and it will prove the difference.
TIP: Waratahs at the margin (1-12) - $2.85 at William Hill
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