Trust the Bookies and Brus, and it’s all about the margins again this week. Tank agrees, but it is far from clear cut. Take in the big man’s predictions before making yours.
Tank Lanning
The weekend line-up:
Friday 7 April
09h35 – Hurricanes v Waratahs (Westpac)
Saturday 8 April
07h15 – Sunwolves v Bulls (Prince Chichibu Memorial)
09h35 – Highlanders v Blues (Forsyth Barr)
11h45 – Brumbies v Reds (GIO)
15h05 – Sharks v Jaguares (Kings Park)
17h15 – Stormers v Chiefs (Newlands)
Sunday 9 April
08h05 – Force v Kings (nib)
A seven game weekend with no horror 7 o’clock games on Friday or Saturday night, mixed in with a little Sunday morning coffee and couch denting. Not too shabby, hey Nige? Canes over Tahs while at that important “March”, Bulls getting back to form with plenty koffie to go with those beskuits as you clear the Friday night cobwebs, Landers vs Blues on a spin bike, skip one during the Aussie derby – good time to notch up a pink ticket or two, and then Sharks and Stormers with the feet on a well-stocked coolerbox next to a grid bending in the middle due to the weight of those ribs. Splendid!
CLICK HERE to see the Team Sheets.
Below my picks, the match odds, and SuperBru Community picks:
My picks:
Hurricanes by 15
Bulls by 9
Highlanders by 15
Brumbies by 7
Sharks by 7
Chiefs by 7
Force by 11
What the Bookies say:
Hurricanes (1.1) over Waratahs (8)
Bulls (1.1) over Sunwolves (6)
Highlanders (1.4) over Blues (3)
Brumbies (1.3) over Reds (3.3)
Sharks (1.4) over Jaguares (3.1)
Chiefs (1.6) over Stormers (2.4)
Force (1.1) over Kings (7.2)
The SuperBru Community picks:
Hurricanes by 15
Bulls by 9
Highlanders by 6
Brumbies by 9
Sharks by 7
Chiefs by 2
Force by 9
More holding hands round the campfire by the Bookies and the Brus! The Bookies are not overly confident on a few of those Saturday games, though, especially the Newlands clash, which promises to be a corker.
Having been stung by the self-same Chiefs last year in the playoffs, Robbie Fleck’s Stormers are a different animal this year, with the focus being on their game rather than the people playing it. They have even gone as far as having “Kiwi Thursdays” in a bid to get them ready for the teams from the land of the long white cloud. And by all accounts, these are pretty damn tough sessions. Fired up and oozing confidence after last week’s hammering of the Cheetahs, I would not be that surprised to see the Stormers scrum and lineout taking control early, and the Chiefs fading late. Retallick and Bird vs PSdT and Etzebeth is going to flatten grass, and perhaps a few noses as well!!
A few games could go either way, with the other potential upsets being the Highlanders vs Blues and that pesky Aussie derby in Canberra. Both the Blues and Reds have blown hot and cold, but when hot, they are up there with any side in the comp. And of course, Sonny Bill Williams is on the bench for the Blues for the first time this season! Also best those Guppies be as fired up as they were for the Lions last week. The Argies are a different animal this year. How will they travel though?
Good luck out there.
