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Another decent round of tipping last week, with Biltongbek taking out Round 6 and establishing quite the handy lead.
Without us really noticing, Biltong first opened up a one-point gap two weeks ago, and then extended that again last week.
After a bit of a stumble last Friday, he then hoisted the wet sail, posted a lazy five-point finish, and now finds himself well clear and with a massive bullseye on his back.
This, of course, forces the hand of the chasing pack. Tipping strategies will be ripped up and hastily redrawn. Logic will become loose. Form will be ignored, as nervousness and extreme rationales take over.
Tips may even mysteriously disappear (hey, I’ve got seven points to make up!).
The big questions for Round 7
Is this the Hurricanes’ banana-skin game? How much confidence do we have in the Lions on the road now? Will the Chiefs suffer jet lag? Can you contain a Storm(er) under a roof? Are the Waratahs vulnerable to a bout of the Blues? Can the Sharks field a team? And can the revitalised Crusade survive a trip over the Indian Ocean?
Biltongbek
Tips: Hurricanes, Reds, Chiefs (powerplay), Highlanders, Waratahs, Sharks, Crusaders.
“As I am writing this the Proteas just lost their semi-final against the Black caps, so I am like a bear with a sore tooth, looking for someone to clobber.
“But well done to the Kiwis, I hope you take your maiden World Cup.”
(Brett’s note: Don’t poke the bear. Don’t poke the bear. Don’t poke the bear…)
Paddy Effeney
Tips: Hurricanes, Reds, Chiefs (PP), Highlanders, Waratahs, Sharks, Bulls.
“I’m going all home teams this week. As I watched myself tip, ticking all those little circles, it became harder and harder for me to break the pattern.
“Under normal circumstances I would have picked the Crusaders to beat the Bulls and the Stormers to beat the Highlanders, but I might as well stick to the funny tipping and good tipping principle.
“Also, my powerplay is on the Chiefs.
“Tally ho!”
Spiro Zavos
Tips: Hurricanes, Reds, Chiefs, Highlanders, Waratahs, Sharks (PP), Crusaders.
“I am going for form this week, even though it let me down last week when I picked the Brumbies to beat the Waratahs.
“After what happened to the Chiefs, I should pick the South African teams to beat New Zealand and Australian sides in South Africa. However, I can’t bring myself to pick the Bulls to defeat the Crusaders, a team with the best record of any overseas side in Australia.
“The effect of Quade Cooper on the Reds might be enough for them to defeat the Lions.”
Diggercane
Tips: Hurricanes, Lions, Chiefs (PP), Highlanders, Waratahs, Sharks, Bulls.
“Smells like a ‘home’ tipping round to me this week.
“The Hurricanes will continue their sheer magnificence over the Rebels, 6-0 it shall be, while the Chiefs and Highlanders will be anxious to atone for last week’s efforts at home.
“The Blues are on a hiding to nothing in Sydney, coming off the bye and the Waratahs rediscovering their mojo, and the Sharks and Bulls will keep South Africa safe from the invading Crusader forces.
“And for my sole away team, of which there must be one, I am going to back the Lions this week with the Reds in poor form but also coming off the bye.
“My powerplay is on the Black Caps, whoops, I mean the Chiefs.”
(Brett’s note: Don’t poke the bear. Don’t poke the bear. Don’t poke the bear…)
Elisha Pearce
Tips: Hurricanes (PP), Reds, Chiefs, Stormers, Waratahs, Sharks, Crusaders.
“So the Lions beat the Rebels by 20 points last week, can the Reds hold them to 20 and score more than that? They’ve scored 39 in total this year, but Cooper could back and James O’Connor? I’ll take the home side; don’t trust the Lions yet.
“Rebels to get punished by the Hurricanes – they’ll know last week was a bit of a lucky win in a low-skilled match for a New Zealand conference game. Put the powerplay on that. Chiefs to hold the fort – nothing more – upon their home return, unless the Cheetahs gift them a few tries last on.
“Stormers had a bye to prepare for this one, so they’ll pip the Highlanders at home. The Blues used to be a Waratahs’ bogey team, but the Tahs are on the rise for a month or so here and they will get it done.
“The Sharks aren’t going to be too bothered by the Force – even though their 145/140 for and against is still ridiculous. The Bulls to be pipped at home by the ‘Saders, given they only just beat the Force.”
Brett McKay
Tips: Hurricanes (PP) , Lions, Chiefs, Highlanders, Waratahs, Force, Crusaders.
Home teams, schmome teams! Even though this has been coming down in recent weeks, away teams still account for 55 per cent of all wins this year. And 55 per cent of seven is? Not quite four. Therefore, I need at least three away teams, and there’s only disappointment to be had by following my colleagues above.
So, given I have points to make up – and lots of them – it’s time for lateral thinking and desperation.
The cavalry’s returning, they’re coming off the bye, and they’re playing at home. Everything points to the Reds, right? Wrong. Lions.
The Sharks without Bismarck de Plessis? Ha! And SANZAR wouldn’t have appealed Francois Steyn’s quashed red card unless they were confident, so I’m expecting him to be rubbed out and for his teammates to be busy making ‘Justice for Frank Steyn’ armbands as you read this. Force.
The Bulls have done the best to blow this silver-platter draw of theirs this season, so the Crusaders can easily knock them off and really get the Blou Bulle types panicking.
Powerplay? Well, I’ve been getting the first game wrong every second week. This week I’m due to be right again, plus I want Digger feeling nervous about his team of under-the-radar flyers being rated again. ‘Canes.
The summary
| Round 7 | Biltongbek | Diggercane | Patrick Effeney | Brett McKay | Elisha Pearce | Spiro Zavos |
| Overall | 32 | 28 | 30 | 25 | 28 | 29 |
| Last week | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| HUR v REB | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Hurricanes |
| RED v LIO | Reds | Lions | Reds | Lions | Reds | Reds |
| CHI v CHE | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| HIG v STO | Highlanders | Highlanders | Highlanders | Highlanders | Stormers | Highlanders |
| WAR v BLU | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs | Waratahs |
| SHA v FOR | Sharks | Sharks | Sharks | Force | Sharks | Sharks |
| BUL v CRU | Crusaders | Bulls | Bulls | Crusaders | Crusaders | Crusaders |
| POWERPLAY | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Hurricanes | Hurricanes | Sharks |
Bye: Brumbies