Last weekend’s results were very predictable, with a lot of our punters getting five out of six. But nobody — including yours truly — tipped the Force to beat the Reds.
The Hurricanes, with 14 changes, put a half-century on the Rebels to remain unbeaten at the top. The end is nigh for the Rebels as they are struggling to pay players and this game won't have helped.
The Brumbies put 60 on Moana Pasifika, who aren’t coping with a mounting injury toll.
The Drua are unbeatable at home but coughed up a big lead and the Waratahs stormed back to level the game in normal time. The Drua kicked a drop goal in the seventh minute of extra time to put it to bed.
The Highlanders were bloody awful at the start of the game — couldn’t kick, couldn’t catch, couldn’t scrum, couldn’t pass — and the Chiefs were up 21 points in the blink of an eye. They weren’t helped by an inconsistent performance by ref Paul Williams, and were one short for a big part of the match. They were down 28-zip at halftime but were unbelievably gutsy with three second half tries and had the chance to snatch the win — alas another error shattered that.
The Blues beat the Crusaders by 20, consigning them to five straight losses.
Somehow the lamentable Force beat the Reds — an aberration, surely.
In the Gore competition, Zac Andrews, from Harcourts, extended his lead to four over Steven Tutty from Capri Restaurant. Jill Marr, from Marr Electrical, has serious work to do and four off second last.
This week is another tough round for the tipsters but I'm getting my mojo back so here goes.
- The Crusaders host the Chiefs (12-) but that won’t be enough to stop them going zip from 6. They desperately need their injured players back.
- The Waratahs (13+) have had a tough three weeks but surely they will dismember the hapless Rebels.
- The Drua (13+) are still "feet up" in the sunny isles and should easily account for the Force who can only win at home.
- The Landers host the Canes (12-) at the Greenhouse and if they start better and get the ball to the best back three in the competition they are in this game up to their eyeballs. However, I’m feeling that might not be enough for an unbeaten, rested Hurricanes outfit that right now is far and away the best in this comp.
- Life doesn’t get any easier for Moana Pasifika when they take on the Blues after the Canberra thrashing last week. The Blues (13+) will cut loose this week and consign Moana Pasifika to back-to-back weeks of torture.
- In the battle for bragging rights on who is the best team in Australia, the Reds host the Brumbies (12-).
I think the Brumbies may be good enough, but it is nearly too close to call.
Good luck punters.
