Three All Blacks on the Saders bench and Tank picks the Canes! He also has the Boks by 9 while the bookies are almost too scared to offer odds! Check out the weekend’s teams, times, odds and SuperBru community picks.
Tank Lanning
And Super Rugby is back! Well, sort of … it’s only the Australian and Kiwi sides playing this weekend while the Boks wrap up their June Internationals against Scotland in PE on Saturday.
It’s back to tossing a coin before making those picks though! Only the Tahs vs Brumbies game seems a sure thing, and I am not sure an Aussie derby ever be called a sure thing? The Brus and Bookies are undecided on the first 2 games, while the odds on offer for the Saders and Force games are not exactly going to have you rushing to place your bets!
The Canes vs Saders should have you rushing for that couch on Saturday morning though. Just so many classy players on display … Perhaps that game on a gym bike before taking your sweetness to lunch so you can earn the points necessary to clear the evening diary.
Sure it is only the Scots, and they have taken to bragging about beating the Yanks and Canadians. But with Coenie Oosthuizen finally picked at loosehead, I like the look of the side Heyneke Meyer has named to take on the Haggis eaters this weekend – it just strikes me as being well balanced.
Not only because we now have a proper tighthead on the bench, and a chance to give Marcel van der Merwe a deserved run in green, but also because it mixes experience with youth, and is a definite stab at growing squad depth. Worth lighting a fire and stocking a cooler box for …
To the weekend then …
Friday 27 June
09:35 – Highlanders vs Chiefs, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Tank’s prediction: HIGHLANDERS to beat Chiefs by 3
SuperBru Community: HIGHLANDERS (63%) to beat Chiefs by 1
Oddschecker: CHIEFS (11/13) to beat Highlanders (6/5)
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Richard Buckman, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Shaun Treeby, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Shane Christie, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Tom Franklin, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Brayden Mitchell, 1 Kane Hames.
Bench: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Matias Diaz, 18 Chris King, 19 Josh Bekhuis, 20 Lee Allan, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Phil Burleigh.
Chiefs: 15 Gareth Anscombe, 14 Dwayne Sweeney, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Tom Marshall, 10 Aaron Cruden (c), 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Michael Fitzgerald, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Bench: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Jamie Mackintosh, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Matt Symons, 20 Tevita Koloamatangi, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Tim Nanai-Williams, 23 James Lowe.
11:40 – Rebels vs Reds, AAMI Park, Melbourne
Tank’s prediction: REBELS to beat Reds by 5
SuperBru Community: REBELS to draw with REDS (52%)
Oddschecker: REBELS (11/10) to beat Reds (13/10)
Rebels: 15 Jack Debreczeni, 14 Jason Woodward, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Scott Higginbotham (c), 7 Colby Fainga’a, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Luke Jones, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith.
Bench: 16 Shota Horie, 17 Cruze Ah-Nau, 18 Paul Alo-Emile, 19 Hugh Pyle, 20 Scott Fuglistaller, 21 Nic Stirzaker, 22 Telusa Veainu, 23 Tom Kingston.
Reds: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Anthony Fainga’a, 11 Dom Shipperley, 10 Ben Lucas, 9 Nick Frisby, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Beau Robinson, 6 Curtis Browning, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 James Hanson, 1 James Slipper.
Bench: 16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 Albert Anae, 18 Ben Daley, 19 Dave McDuling, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Samuela Kerevi, 22 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, 23 Lachie Turner.
Saturday 28 June
09:35 – Hurricanes vs Crusaders, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Tank’s prediction: HURRICANES to beat Crusaders by 4
SuperBru Community: CRUSADERS (77%) to beat Hurricanes by 4
Oddschecker: CRUSADERS (13/16) to beat Hurricanes (15/13)
Hurricanes: 15 Matt Proctor, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Tim Bateman, 12 Alapati Leiua, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Blade Thomson, 4 Jeremy Thursh (captain), 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ben Franks.
Bench: 16 Motu Matu’u/Reggie Goodes, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Reggie Goodes/Brendon Edmonds, 19 James Broadhurst, 20 Jack Lam, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Hadleigh Parkes, 23 James Marshall
Crusaders: 15 Tom Taylor, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Kieron Fonotia, 12 Ryan Crotty (captain), 11 Nafi Tuitavake, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Bench: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Kieran Read, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Dan Carter, 23 Rob Thompson
11:40 – Waratahs vs Brumbies, ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Tank’s prediction: WARATAHS to beat Brumbies by 9
SuperBru Community: WARATAHS (83%) to beat Brumbies by 4
Oddschecker: WARATAHS (3/10) to beat Brumbies (16/5)
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Alofa Alofa, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis (captain), 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Jacques Potgieter, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Bench (from): 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Stephen Hoiles, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Jono Lance, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 24 Cam Crawford
Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Andrew Smith, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben Mowen (c), 7 Jarrad Butler, 6 Jordan Smiler, 5 Leon Power, 4 Scott Fardy, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Ruaidhri Murphy, 1 Scott Sio.
Bench: 16 Luke Holmes, 17 Ruan Smith, 18 JP Smith, 19 Fotu Auelua, 20 Jack Whetton, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Clyde Rathbone, 23 Lionel Cronje.
13:45 – Force vs Blues, NIB Stadium, Perth
Tank’s prediction: BLUES to beat Force by 5
SuperBru Community: FORCE (69%) to beat Blues by 2
Oddschecker: FORCE (4/5) to beat Blues (6/5)
Force: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Marcel Brache, 12 Chris Tuatara-Morrison, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (c), 6 Hugh McMeniman, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.
Bench: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Oliver Hoskins, 19 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Solomoni Rasolea.
Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia, 14 Frank Halai, 13 Pita Ahki, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 George Moala, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Luke Braid (c), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 Charlie Faumuina/ Angus Ta’avao, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Bench: 16 James Parsons, 17 Angus Ta’avao/ Tom McCartney, 18 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 19 Hayden Triggs, 20 Peter Saili, 21 Piri Weepu, 22 Francis Saili, 23 Tevita Li.
17h00: South Africa v Scotland, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, PE
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Marius Mitrea (Italy)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Tank’s prediction: SOUTH AFRICA to beat Scotland by 9
SuperBru Community: SOUTH AFRICA (99%) to beat Scotland by 15
Oddschecker: SOUTH AFRICA (1/19) to beat Scotland (11/1)
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Bench: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Stephan Lewies, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Zane Kirchner.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Tommy Seymour, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Adam Ashe, 7 Chris Fusaro, 6 Robert Harley, 5 Grant Gilchrist (captain), 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Geoff Cross, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson
Bench: 16 Kevin Bryce, 17 Moray Low, 18 Euan Murray, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 Tyrone Holmes, 21 Grayson Hart, 22 Dougie Fife, 23 Peter Murchie
