Super Rugby Round 7: All eyes looking forward, thanks

Nope, nothing to see here. If it’s true that you can’t change tipping results after the fact, then it’s certainly true that there’s no point dwelling on tips that turn out to be less than accurate.

No matter how much Nobes wants us to look at his standout week, the rest of us are imploring you to ignore him. There’s just no point. It was a tough round to tip, there were 50-50 games all over the weekend, and frankly, this weekend has so much more going for it.

So let’s just all keep looking forward, yeah? Great.

ROUND 6: Nobes 4; the rest of us less than 4. Some much less. But we’ve all agreed to move forward, remember?

OVERALL: Harry 26; Nobes 25; Digger and The Crowd 24; Brett 21; Geoff 20

Nobes
TIPS: CRUSADERS, WARATAHS, BLUES, REBELS, SHARKS, JAGUARES.

As if it was almost impossible to get below par in this tipping game, they decided to make it more uncomfortable with the surprise, too-early announcement of the Sunwolves’ departure from the tournament in the 2021 season.

In the seventh round we will have the most important and awaited game that is the one of the Hurricanes receiving the Crusaders in Wellington. The ‘Canes suffered to beat the Stormers last weekend, while the Crusaders rested their men of impact in their first loss to the Waratahs.

With Mr. Read again on the court the Crusaders are too much team for anyone, and I do not remember when they last lost two in a row.

Brett’s note: Only last year, for the record – Rounds 4 and 5, losses to the Hurricanes and Highlanders; the last losses before the 19-game winning streak.

The Waratahs at home should beat the Sunwolves, as long as they do not continue celebrating the triumph of last week.

Waratahs player Jed Holloway (4) goes up for the ball at round 4 of Super Rugby between NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds on March 09, 2019 at The Sydney Cricket Ground, NSW. (Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Blues should take advantage of their last triumph to try to chain another triumph and begin to believe in themselves. The Stormers present a good opportunity for it. The Rebels back in Australia must beat the Reds to return to being the promising team of the early rounds.

The way the Bulls lost should not give them a lot of chances to beat the Sharks. Both teams are very bi-polar in their walk and I’m going to play for the home team.

A real dilemma presents the game of the Chiefs in Buenos Aires. Which Chiefs will show up in the Amalfitani? The hesitant and imprecise of the first rounds or the devastating team of last week?

The Jaguares on the other hand seem like a war camp where many of their main players are injured and the replacements do not measure up. But since I’m going to be present at the stadium, I will encourage the Jags and hope that the absence of B. Retallick will have enough negative impact on the Chiefs to take this one.

SURE THING: Five of the six games can go either way.

Digger
TIPS: HURRICANES, WARATAHS, BLUES, REBELS, SHARKS, CHIEFS

If a Crusaders loss is rare, then back-to-back losses are even rarer. You have to imagine they will be motivated to produce a quality performance after last week’s disappointing effort by their standards, and along with the return of Keiran Reid amongst others and the Hurricanes issues up front, I simply have to go with Canes by plenty.

Hard to imagine anything but a solid win for the Waratahs, while I will back the Blues to get over the Stormers at home on the strength of their attacking ability compared to their opponents. I suspect this will prove a tougher match up front than the Hurricanes last week.

I am running with the Rebels this week, I suspect they have a tad more guile in their side and will be desperate for away points after a disappointing SA tour. And I do not trust the Reds to play consistently as yet, despite a strong showing last Sunday.

Rebels half Will Genia. (Mike Owen/Getty Images)

Sharks and Bulls I really have no idea what the South African conference will bring, so will suggest the home side, while I suspect the speed and new-found form of the Chiefs may be too much for the Jaguares to keep pace with.

SURE THING: Assuming selection, the matchup between PSDT and Tom Robinson at blindside will be a beauty to watch, while I suspect that there will be no slippers on slippers this weekend.

Harry
TIPS: CRUSADERS, WARATAHS, STORMERS, REDS, BULLS, JAGUARES.

I will tip Round 7 whilst tipsy. Because it seems like a round for drunks, fools, and knaves to tip. I’m in a biker bar in the Wild West. I wish I had not worn maroon skinny jeans.

The Crusade versus the Wind: speed and competence versus speed. The Cantabrians ‘by plinty’.

The improving Waratahs will show the despondent Sunwolves to be redundant.

The silly Stormers will shock the benign Blues; as will the Randy Reds, the rambunctious Rebels.

The Sharks and the Bulls will almost draw; except a kick at the death will take the cake. By Handre Pollard.

The Jaguares will Roar!

Sure Thing: The Bulls will explode with points. EXPLODE!

Geoff
TIPS: CRUSADERS, WARATAHS, BLUES, REBELS, BULLS, CHIEFS

Last week the Blues busted a 20-match losing streak, the Crusaders busted a 19-match winning streak, the Chiefs busted the form book, the Rebels busted their starting line-up after the submission deadline, and we’re supposed to tip confidently, like experts!

Never mind, we’ll keep trying. The Crusaders’ pack should be too strong for the Canes. The last time I watched big-time rugby from Newcastle, two Scottish blokes head butted each other – which means the Tahs will win.

Let’s back the Blues to keep their improvement going and the Rebels to benefit from the return of Will Genia, Adam Coleman and Isi Naisarani.

Anyone who says they feel confident about the Sharks or Bulls is kidding. It’s the Bulls for me, only because there would have been some serious arse-kicking in Pretoria this week.

No Retallick tips me towards the Jaguares, but the Chiefs have played well in BA before, which tips me back the other way, to say that I think they can build on their improvement.

SURE THING: A certain match-day TV producer will have been sat down this week and reminded not to cut to the adverts and half-time show until absolutely certain that the first half has actually finished!

Brett
TIPS: HURRICANES, WARATAHS, BLUES, REBELS, BULLS, JAGUARES

In news that will thrill Crusaders fans as much as ‘Canes fans are now horrified, I’ve just got a bit of a gut feeling about the home side. The Crusaders with Keiran Read et al back in the side are pretty much a must-tip, but I’ve had this feeling all week, and not even seeing teams has changed it.

The Waratahs up in Newcastle should – should – be too good for the Mighty Moondogs, who I fear will now suffer a bit of a trough now that SANZAAR’s grand vision of the future has hit home.

The Rebels have got too much strike power for the Reds, and I think the Bulls are just a smarter team than the Sharks. They were too smart for them only three weeks ago, and they’ve been too smart for the Sharks in fact since Round 1, 2014! (There was a draw in there in 2016.)

And the Jaguares at home will have the advantage over the well-travelled Chiefs.

And that leaves the Blues. My lack of confidence in the Blues is well known, but I’m just as ambivalent about the Stormers, especially when outside the confines of Newlands. In another gathering of like rugby minds I find myself in, I’ve taken the Stormers with the 6.5 points start on offer, and that pretty much sums up this game.

The Stormers could win, but I reckon they’ll need a head start. And since there’s no head start on offer here, I suppose I have to take the Blues at home. Go figure.

SURE THING: The Crusaders, obviously. And then either the Blues by 20 points or some massive blowout margin to ruin my tip with the start, or the Stormers by one to ruin this tip.

Get your votes in now – The Crowd’s tips will be revealed Friday afternoon AEDT.

Who have you got, Roarers? Who gets your tip this weekend?