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Last week everyone fell victim to the ambush of the Highlanders, and the surprise of the Lions.
Only Spiro’s powerplay on the Brumbies saved him from joining the rest of us; his five was the high watermark for the round.
On that topic, Biltong is the new outright leader, on 20, from Paddy and Spiro on 19.
There’s no need to provide any detail for the lower tallies – it’s best to leave the unfortunate alone in these troubling times.
Though I’ve implored the Experts to pick differently from each other this week (I may have even used the word ‘boring’), lest we doom ourselves again, it does genuinely shape as a tough round, featuring several games that could go either way.
Powerplay use will also be interesting, so let’s see what we’ve all come up with.
Spiro Zavos
Tips: Hurricanes, Rebels, Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies (PP), Stormers, Sharks.
“I am going on gut thinking with my picks, after doing so poorly trying to be rational in the earlier rounds.
“Although the Hurricanes are coming off a bye, there is no way the Blues can be taken in an away match. This is what we thought last week when the Highlanders played the Chiefs at Hamilton, and look what happened then.
“Otherwise, I am going with the strength, perhaps, with the Crusaders, the Waratahs, and the Brumbies leading the way. Brumbies with the Powerplay.”
Biltongbek
Tips: Hurricanes, Force, Crusaders (PP), Highlanders, Brumbies, Chiefs, Sharks.
“Tipping this season is definitely not shooting fish in a barrel. A number of matches this weekend are going to be tight, so if you pick them right, count yourself lucky.
“Hurricanes to continue the pressure on Sir John Kirwan. Force and Rebels a toss up, so I’ll go for the home team. Crusaders to monster the brave African Lions, and Highlanders to upset the Waratahs. Brumbies to run riot over the Reds, Chiefs to dish the Stormers their first defeat of the season, and the Sharkies to find winning ways.
“My powerplay for a second week running is against the Lions, so I call the might of the Crusader. Please don’t disappoint me another week.”
Patrick Effeney
Tips: Hurricanes, Rebels, Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies (PP), Stormers, Sharks.
“I don’t think anyone will be picking the Blues after a horrid performance last weekend, so let’s go with the Hurricanes. The Crusaders will beat the Lions, and the Waratahs will prove too big and too strong against the Highlanders.
“The Brumbies-Reds match is, unfortunately, a foregone conclusion. I do think the Stormers will beat the Chiefs and the Sharks will get over the Cheetahs.
“Boring enough for you, Brett?”
Diggercane
Tips: Hurricanes, Force, Crusaders, Highlanders, Brumbies (PP), Stormers, Sharks.
“With regards to this tipping malarkey, I am currently losing to a female who resides in my home whose strategy involves such keen insights as ‘They have the prettiest jerseys’ and ‘I like flowers and cats’.
“She is six. I need to lift my game!
“Force to repel the Rebellion, the Crusade to take some Lion skins, and I am backing the ‘Bravehearts’ to knock over the superstar Tahs in Dunedin.
“The Brumbies have my powerplay against the Reds, and I am backing the Stormers to stay top of the table at home to the Chiefs. And being a sucker for punishment, I am going to back the Sharks, again, to get their season up and running over the Cheetahs.
“And of course, the undefeated Hurricanes will sweep into Turbo country and blow the Blues back over the Bombay Hills to the waiting wrath of the New Zealand Herald writers.”
Brett McKay
Tips: Hurricanes, Force, Crusaders (PP), Highlanders, Brumbies, Stormers, Cheetahs.
It’s a mix of gut feel and loose logic this week for me, because if we’ve learnt nothing in this season already – and we clearly have learnt nothing – it’s that all the rules that used to apply are not anywhere near as robust as they once were.
The Hurricanes will be too good for the Blues – unless of course we’ve all picked them. I just have a nagging feeling that the Force might have got more out of their last half hour in Canberra than the Rebels will in a bye week, while the Crusaders should cope with the weight of my powerplay.
It’s a similar gut feeling about the Highlanders – if they can beat the undefeated Chiefs away, they can topple the reigning champions under their own roof. And the Brumbies shouldn’t have any trouble with the Reds again. However, I’ll be watching for Reds’ attitude change with interest.
The last two leave me nervous: the Stormers should be OK at home against the touring Chiefs and I’m thinking the Cheetahs might just be the least worst of two very hot and cold teams in Bloemfontein.
Elisha Pearce
Tips: Hurricanes, Rebels, Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies (PP), Chiefs, Cheetahs.
“Saffers first: The Sharks are still the fourth-highest points for in the comp, but give away too many. Cheetahs to get it done! The Chiefs will be upset at losing to the Lions and will tighten up to burst the Stormers’ bubble.
“Hurricanes will beat the Blues in a game that’s tighter than it should be. Rebels to get the bikkies in Perth, and Waratahs get the win after something ridiculous happens in Dunedin, because that stadium tends to have crazy games.
“Crusaders-Lions is so obvious, I can’t even be bothered writing something about it.
“Reds get the 30-point flogging they deserved last week, as it’s the Brumbies opposing them this time. Brumbies get my powerplay too.”
The summary
| Round 5 | Biltongbek | Diggercane | Patrick Effeney | Brett McKay | Elisha Pearce | Spiro Zavos |
| Overall | 20 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Last week | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| HUR v BLU | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes |
| FOR v REB | Force | Force | Rebels | Force | Rebels | Rebels |
| CRU v LIO | Crusaders | Crusaders | Crusaders | Crusaders | Crusaders | Crusaders |
| HIG v WAR | Highlanders | Highlanders | Waratahs | Highlanders | Waratahs | Waratahs |
| RED v BRU | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies | Brumbies |
| STO v CHI | Chiefs | Stormers | Stormers | Stormers | Chiefs | Stormers |
| CHE v SHA | Sharks | Sharks | Sharks | Cheetahs | Cheetahs | Sharks |
| POWERPLAY | Crusaders | Brumbies | Brumbies | Crusaders | Brumbies | Brumbies |
Bye: Bulls