Super Rugby Round 15 Part 1: Have you seen the other half of this round?

So I still don’t really get this whole split round period we find ourselves in now.

The British and Irish Lions have landed in Aotearoa for what will be a mammoth tour, yet their teams are playing this weekend, and our friends in South Africa, Japan, and Argentina are sitting at home with their feet up.

Okay then…

Regardless, the tipping panel will plough on, in the hope that the bottom half of this round will show up some time soon. Somewhere.

Last week: Digger 6; Harry, Brett, Nobes 5; The Crowd 4

Digger
“Canes by plenty.

“In what I think will be a thrilling, open match in Apia I’m picking the Blues to prevail due to better defensive structures, while the Chiefs at home will be too much for the Waratahs to overcome, even though it will perhaps be a close contest.

“The Brumbies should be far too strong for the Rebels in Canberra. Everything tells me the Crusaders should win at home – form, momentum, all of that… – so naturally I will pick the Highlanders.

“I am backing them because I feel they will be more desperate given their respective standings and because, well, it suits the Hurricanes more to see the Highlanders win. Tipping with the head hasn’t been working, so I will try pure selfishness instead.”

Tips: Blues, Highlanders, Chiefs, Brumbies, Hurricanes.

Harry Jones
“When an Aussie team plays a Kiwi team, in this round or any round, the small island guys will beat the big island boys.

“The Blues will carry the ball up against the Reds, who will miss a few tackles too many, creating line breaks and three or four Auckland tries, while the men from Brisbane will struggle to beat any defenders and won’t score more than one try.

“The surly Chiefs will smash the Waratahs. And the Hurricanes will blow Perth down.

“This leaves the two derbies. The Rebels have no chance in Canberra. None. Zip. Zero. Naught. The Brumbies are playing decent rugby in an indecent Aussie year. I have no idea about the Crusaders and the Highlanders in their South Island derby. I think it’ll be a ripper. But let’s go with the Test-team calibre Crusaders, at home.”

Tips: Blues, Crusaders, Chiefs, Brumbies, Hurricanes.

Brett
Argh… it all started so well last week! I had visions of round dominance and overtaking both Digger and The Crowd, despite the mere detail of picking too similarly to either of them for that to be possible. But visions don’t have to make sense… this was going to happen!

And then the Sunwolves kicked off to the Cheetahs, and that was that.

So I’m a bit dejected this week. And there’s no real chance of gaining any ground anywhere, with four games that pick themselves and a fifth that stops you for a minute before you end up picking the Crusaders anyway.

I’m even tipping four Crowd tips in the 90 per cent range, and the Crusaders in the seventies.

But I’m actually looking forward to all five games, which all have a little bit of something to draw you into the contest, even if the result seems obvious.

Maybe the young Reds will thrive with the opportunity to start in Samoa? Maybe the Crusaders ae running out of momentum? Maybe the Waratahs will play for 60 minutes, instead of 50 last week? Maybe the Rebels’ uncanny knack of scaring the Brumbies will continue? And maybe I won’t jinx the Force by saying anything…

Enjoy your weekend of rugby.

Tips: Blues, Crusaders, Chiefs, Brumbies, Hurricanes.

Nobes
“Okie dokie! Very rare round this one I must say. The guys from the big island will not be able to beat the southerners, but the exciting part of this round comes from the derbies.

“The Blues will handle the Reds for more than three tries. The Chiefs will have no trouble winning, the Tahs seem to have no spirit when they play against the New Zealand teams.

“Canes by plenty in Perth, as Digg would say. Two different styles will clash at Christchurch when the Crusaders roll over the kicking Highlanders team. Finally, the Brumbies are in high spirits and will show the Rebels why they deserve a spot in the play-offs.”

Tips: Blues, Crusaders, Chiefs, Brumbies, Hurricanes.

Get your tips in now – The Crowd’s tips will be revealed before kick-off in the first game of the weekend.

The Sure Thing

The one thing we’re all absolutely certain will happen over the course of this weekend. Well, pretty certain…

Digger
“Apia will be packed and the atmosphere will be fantastic for the Reds and Blues. Young Tom Banks from the Brumbies may just sneak in a hat trick, while if Nehe Milner-Skudder proves his fitness, he will put in a massive effort against the Force.”

Harry
“Nobes can catch me, but he will have to go Aussie.”

Nobes
“I will not catch Harry in this round.”

Brett
No disgruntled and slightly unhinged ranting about refereeing. Until well into Saturday evening, at least…

Got a sure thing yourself? Let us know in the comments below, and enjoy your rugby this weekend…