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The experts might finally be getting the hang of this tipping thing, with five of us managing 5/7 or better, and with noted tipping extraordinaire Tristan Rayner bringing home the money in a big way to catch the pack.
Tristan’s 7 points topped the charts for the round, and is a new competition high score. Biltong, Elisha and I managed a not-too-shabby 6 points, then Spiro with 5 points. Someone has to prop up the leaderboard each round, and last week it was Scott and Paddy.
Therefore, Tristo will have the honour this week, with the pressure well and truly on to see if consistency is something he has in him.
Here are the tips for Super Rugby Round 6…
Tristan Rayner
Tips: Hurricanes, Waratahs, Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs (powerplay), Lions, Sharks.
Explain yourself: The problem with being an expert tipper is I can’t read anyone else’s previews. Fair dinkum – do Roarers know we’re meant to get this in at about midday on Wednesday? My word.
[Brett’s note: It’s actually midday Thursday, but I might remind someone at this point of their ‘tip early’ mantra from last year…]
Now, the problems are the Highlanders v Canes, Lions v Reds and Bulls v Sharks – everything else seems to be straightforward enough. I’ll have to go grudgingly with the Lions here, while the other two you could argue either way. I’m taking the Sharks, given they’re undefeated, while the Canes should have too many points in them.
Chiefs get the powerplay; I steered clear of the Waratahs, given the Rebels seem to make themselves huge for this clash.
Biltongbek
Tips: Highlanders, Waratahs (PP), Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs, Reds, Sharks.
Explain yourself: The Sharks versus Bulls is the most difficult to pick this week, a coin toss. The Reds’ attack will be too good for the Lions and Boshoff will have to kick 30 points to beat the Reds.
The Chiefs will find their first touring game tougher than expected, but their defence has been insane thus far. Stormers are in a bad shape; Brumbies will be organised, and too good. Highlanders and Hurricanes is a coin toss. Who knows?
Waratahs should be too good at home for the Rebels, and Cheetahs will have to show a lot of improvement to win.
Powerplay is on the Waratahs. If they lose this one, I might as well give up tipping.
Elisha Pearce
Tips: Hurricanes, Waratahs, Blues, Brumbies (PP), Chiefs, Reds, Sharks.
Explain yourself: I found this week hard, because I know picking this many away teams is a recipe for disaster. I’ve spent about three hours trying to convince myself to pick someone else instead of one of the Hurricanes, Chiefs, Reds, and Sharks.
The Great White Sharks and Chiefs seem safest there. But the Reds were about as good as you could be visiting the Shark Tank last week. I’ll go with the Hurricanes on the road because the Highlanders were atrocious last week, although this is my least confident away pick.
The Rebels haven’t been the same since Selectiongate; the Waratahs should do the business there. Brumbies are going to do the Stormers in on the third leg of their trip. My Blues pick is because they’re a boom-bust team, and this week might be the boom week. And I can’t make myself pick a fifth away team in the Cheetahs.
To top off my mess of a round, I’m not giving my powerplay to The Great White Sharks. I’m a little wary of South African derbies still, Brumbies get it.
Brett McKay
Tips: Highlanders, Waratahs (PP), Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs, Lions, Sharks.
Explain yourself: It is a tough round, no doubt, and there are a number of tips I’m nervous about. So I’ll get the easy ones out of the way.
Waratahs will be too classy against the Rebels. If Israel Folau can slalom-ski through a well-drilled defence like the Brumbies, he’ll have a field day with the Rebels. Brumbies likewise should have too much for the Stormers. And I can’t see the Sharks having much trouble with the Bulls.
The difficult ones? Well the Highlanders being at home tips the coin off its edge, but this will be a close one. The Blues have a rough trip coming back from the Republic, but I have grave concerns about the Cheetahs. It could easily be another 12-try thriller, too. The Force at home will be a danger game for the Chiefs, with a few key backs out, but the Champions have a knack of eking out unlikely wins.
The Reds losing Ben Daley and Chris Feauai-Sautia will test their depth, and Marnitz Boshoff just isn’t missing from the tee.
Waratahs get the powerplay. Actually, ‘Izzy’ nearly gets it on his own.
Spiro Zavos
Tips: Hurricanes, Waratahs, Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs, Reds, Sharks (PP).
Explain yourself: I am still taking a hammering and probably reducing the strike rate of the team. But I am taking the positive teams as far as possible and hoping this strategy pays off this round and into the later rounds.
The complications here are some of my victories depend on sides winning away from home, which is difficult in this tournament. In addition, the Blues have to come back from South Africa, which is hard on them with the Cheetahs being in Australia and New Zealand for the past month.
My powerplay is on the Sharks, even though they are playing in the Bull-pit at Pretoria.
Tips: Highlanders, Waratahs, Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs (PP), Reds, Sharks.
Explain yourself: A few close calls for me this week where the result could go either way and previous results may not mean too much – Reds to beat Lions, Brumbies to beat Stormers, Blues to beat Cheetahs, and Highlanders to beat Hurricanes (although I was tempted to select a draw for this last match).
It won’t surprise me if I only get 2/4 or worse from those matches.
The Sharks are in good form and will beat the Bulls comfortably. The Waratahs played pretty well against the Brumbies and while the Rebels were competitive against the Crusaders, I can’t see them getting over the Waratahs.
There are many of us who’ve lost points by tipping against the Force this season and I’ve been impressed with their performances over the last two weeks. But it would have to be the biggest upset of the season so far if they can beat the Chiefs. I’ve tipped the Chiefs and used my powerplay in this match too.
Paddy Effeney
Tips: Highlanders, Waratahs, Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs (PP), Reds, Sharks.
Explain yourself: I’m the definitive undulating tipper. I got absolutely no love last week, and am hoping Lady Luck draws me into her warm embrace this week.
The Sharks are surely the only banker in this competition, though with the Bulls at home you’re always going to have that little thought in the back of your head that an upset is on the cards. My Reds simply have to beat the Lions. They weren’t good enough for the Sharks, but a week of acclimatising to Republic conditions should help.
I’m hoping the Chiefs travel well, and the Stormers’ road trip runs out of gas against the Brumbies. The Highlanders-Hurricanes is an absolute doozy, so I threw darts at pictures of Cobus Grobelaar for a while before picking the home side. The Waratahs have to bounce back against the Rebels, and the Blues must surely, finally win one game.
The Chiefs are my powerplay this week.
[Brett’s note: What on earth has former Lions flanker Cobus Grobelaar done to deserve such treatment?]
The summary
| Round 6 | Scott Allen | Biltongbek | Patrick Effeney | Brett McKay | Elisha Pearce | Tristan Rayner | Spiro Zavos |
| Overall | 20 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 21 |
| Last week | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| HIG v HUR | Highlanders | Highlanders | Highlanders | Highlanders | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes |
| WAR v REB | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs |
| BLU v CHE | Blues | Blues | Blues | Blues | Blues | Blues | Blues |
| BRU v STO | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies |
| FOR v CHI | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| LIO v RED | Reds | Reds | Reds | Lions | Reds | Lions | Reds |
| BUL v SHA | Sharks | Sharks | Sharks | Sharks | Sharks | Sharks | Sharks |
| POWERPLAY | Chiefs | Waratahs | Chiefs | Waratahs | Brumbies | Chiefs | Sharks |
| Crusaders BYE | |||||||