It’s a King Kong, pink ticket swallowing, final pool round with 18 sides in action, and struth Bob, there are some brutal picks to be made! Take in our preview before making yours.
Tank Lanning
The pink ticket gobbler:
Friday 14 July
09:35 – Highlanders v Reds (Forsyth Barr)
11:45 – Rebels v Jaguares (AAMI Park)
19:00 – Kings v Cheetahs (Nelson Mandela Bay)
Saturday 15 July
05:05 – Sunwolves v Blues (Prince Chichibu Memorial)
07:15 – Chiefs v Brumbies (FMG)
09:35 – Hurricanes v Crusaders (Westpac)
11:45 – Force v Waratahs (nib)
15:05 – Bulls v Stormers (Loftus Versfeld)
17:15 – Sharks v Lions (Growthpoint Kings Park)
How poignant to see the Kings play the Cheetahs in both of their last ever games of Super Rugby. This while Saders have to fend of the Canes in order to keep top spot on the log. Might the Lions get to decide who they play in the quarters? Get those pink tickets out my friends, there is some serious couch denting, grid bending and cooler box emptying to be done!
For fantastic previews of every game, head to the All Out Rugby Breaking news section, and to see the weekend’s teams as they get announced, take in their Team Sheets.
My picks:
Highlanders by 21
Rebels by 3
Kings by 7
Blues by 19
Chiefs by 22
Cusaders by 5
Force by 3
Stormers by 9
Lions by 11
What the Bookies say:
Highlanders (1/16) over Reds (25/2)
Jaguares (4/9) over Rebels (31/12)
Kings (8/11) over Cheetahs (6/4)
Blues (1/41) over Sunwolves (20/1)
Chiefs (1/8) over Brumbies (15/2)
Hurricanes (4/5) over Crusaders (25/18)
Waratahs (even) over Force (11/10)
Stormers (4/6) over Bulls (14/9)
Lions (4/11) over Sharks (35/12)
The SuperBru Community picks:
Highlanders by 16
Jaguares by 6
Kings by 5
Blues by 21
Chiefs by 14
Crusaders by 2
Force by 1
Stormers by 6
Lions by 10
Hugs and kisses from the Bookies and Brus for the first 5 games of the weekend, and then boom, they butt heads on both the Canes vs Saders result, and the pesky Aussie derby that follows.
The Aussie derby is not only unwatchable, but also particularly tricky to pick. Bookies say Tahs, while the Brus are backing the Force. I am going with my former Ikey head coach Dave Wessels to finish the season with a flourish.
With both Aaron and Ben smith missing from the Highlanders lineup, might those crafty Kiwis be looking to throw the game? A win against the Reds will lock them into seventh spot and a match against whoever finishes second overall. And if the bookies are to be believed, that would mean a game against neighbours Crusaders, instead of a trip to Joburg.
No chance. No Kiwi would ever lose to Quade Cooper on purpose!
Rabble to pull a rabbit out the hat against the topsy turvy Jags, and Saders to do what they did against the Canes in the first game – scrum, kick and strangle. That said, I will be the first fat man to do a jig should my canny Canes work out a way to win at the Cake Tin!
The current FRG leaderboard:
I am coming a pathetic 284th out of 587 players!! Traumatic …
Good luck out there …