He first won the tipping comp in 2016, the last time till this year the Crusaders didn’t win — and the first year his favoured Hurricanes did.
This year, the Canes topped the round robin comp, which of course suited Stevens, however they lost in the semis to the Chiefs — and this is where Stevens’ cunning came to the fore.
Figuring the three tipsters just ahead of him were "favourite pickers", and would therefore back the Canes, he plumped for the Chiefs.
"That’s the first time in 20 years I haven’t picked the Hurricanes."
It’s a regret he’ll carry for the rest of his life, he says, but it did mean he was tied for the lead going into thefinal.
He then won by being closest to the Blues’ winning margin — he only picked a measly nine points (the Blues won by 31), however Bernard Alpert only picked seven, so came second.
Third-placed was Steve Ridley.
