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The round after the weekend before couldn’t arrive quickly enough for some teams this week, if for no other reason than to help people forget about their most recent performance.
The question for a new round is, how big a factor can redemption really be as teams strive to get their season back on track? Or just ‘on’ track, for that matter?
It seems like a funny thing to say going into Round 8, but it actually feels like there’s a few seasons on the line this weekend.
ROUND 7: Geoff 5; Nobes, Digger, Brett 3; Harry and The Crowd 2
OVERALL: Harry and Nobes 28; Digger 27; The Crowd 26; Geoff 25, and Brett 24
Geoff
TIPS: HIGHLANDERS, STORMERS, LIONS, CRUSADERS, BLUES, REBELS, BULLS
Much better last week, and it’s nice to at least be back in the contest! Although I’d describe it as merely getting Scarlett Johansson’s attention so I can ask for a date. That’s still a long way from her saying yes, or agreeing to come back afterwards to snuggle on the couch and watch re-runs of old Bledisloe Cup classics.
With a bye and the cancelled match, the Highlanders haven’t had much recent rugby. And they have three big name injury omissions in Elliot Dixon, Waisake Naholo and Aaron Smith. Which sounds like a recipe for a ‘hunch tip’ to beat the second placed Hurricanes.
Even without Eben Etzebeth I reckon the Stormers will fancy their chances against the Reds, and finish their tour on a high. And it’s the Lions at home against a de-Akkered Sharks.
To Saturday and it’s hard to see anything but a Crusaders win, while I don’t think I can tip the Tahs to win in Auckland while ever Kurtley Beale seems reluctant to offer his shoulder in defence.
The Rebels pack will go hard at the Sunwolves, and they will get the job done, as will the Bulls at home against the trippy Jags.
SURE THING: Hayden Parker will attempt a side-line conversion in Melbourne, blindfolded, starting in the third row, hurdling the fence, doing a pirouette and a handstand in his run-up, using his right boot, and… will drill it down the middle!
Nobes
TIPS: HURRICANES, REDS, LIONS, CRUSADERS, BLUES, REBELS, BULLS.
I knew this was going to be embarrassing but I did not know it was going to be that bad. The participants are quite aligned with what happens with the teams and games, that is, lost and unable to route normal tipping rounds.
Sorry, the normal thing is that there is no rule or normal. Any team on any court can win or lose with any other. I’m not sure about anything and I’m not sure that not exposing the All Blacks players more often is good for them.
There are performances by several of them that are far from what they used to be. May be the lack of continuity is playing against their good form.
Anyway, I stretch and take my lucky coin out of the drawer and try again without giving much thought as it does not work.
I think that the Highlanders without Aaron Smith will find some difficulty in front of the Hurricanes despite playing at home. The Reds can redeem themselves against the Stormers who will not have two of their important figures available for the game.
Sefa Naivalu of the Reds is tackled during the round six Super Rugby match between the Reds and the Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium on March 24, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The Lions seem to be more rested than the Sharks and that in altitude will be noticed. Crusaders are always the safe bet at home or away.
Can the Blues beat a team that beats Crusaders one week and the next loses against the Sunwolves? No idea, Blues at home, to win more consecutive games since far away and a long time ago. Something entertaining to bet and look forward to.
The Rebels seem to dominate the conference and the Genia-Cooper duo seems to consolidate. And the Bulls at home should be too much for the Jaguares.
SURE THING: More upsets this round and the crowd will fall further behind.
Digger
TIPS: HURRICANES, REDS, LIONS, CRUSADERS, BLUES, REBELS, BULLS
Given the lack of continuity of recent game play and the absence of a couple of important cogs, will back the Canes this Friday away as I am hopeful, no, demand a good response after last week’s disappointment.
I will also deem similar disappointment a motivating factor for the Reds against the Stormers after last weekend with their opposites into their third week on tour and also having to do without a few of their best.
I trust the Lions more than the Sharks especially at home, while tipping against the Crusaders at home would be just foolish.
Will the Waratahs show up this week? Who knows, but I will back the Blues to continue their winning streak while the Rebels and Bulls at home should be too good for their visitors this round.
SURE THING: It is likely all hookers will be well behaved with one another this week while I suspect I have picked far too many home sides in my tips.
Brett
TIPS: HURRICANES, REDS, LIONS, CRUSADERS, WARATAHS, REBELS, BULLS
Banana skins everywhere this week, I’m telling you. Reckon we’re more likely to see zeros than sevens. At least in my column anyway.
Every kind of instinct and gut feel told the Highlanders at home would continue the Hurricanes hurt, but a combination of ignoring instinct this week, Aaron Smith not being named, and a pretty solid-looking ‘Canes side by comparison has seen me switch flags here. So what could possibly go wrong? Sorry Digger…
A week of stinging criticism should be enough to get the Reds home at home, the Lions will have more trouble with the post-match fish fingers than they will with the Sharks, and as much as I’d love to see the Brumbies snap a 19-year losing streak in Christchurch, the very high probability of them resting a number of Wallabies and the sheer emotion of the red and blacks playing at home again is enough for sanity to remain.
Seta Tamanivalu of the Crusaders celebrates on full time (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Some of you noticed last week that I went against my reluctance to the tip the Blues, and while I was happy-ish to get that one right (especially in the context of a crap week), it has raised a new rule this week: never tip the Blues I successive weeks. See also my Reds tip and stinging criticism and apply that to the Waratahs, too.
Rebels-Sunwolves could be anything, it really could be. But I expect it’ll be a Rebels win. And as much as you’d avoid the Jaguares on the road anyway, I think we all know that when Nobes gets off them, you follow bloody suit!
SURE THING: The Highlanders. By plenty. Never change your tips, kids.
Harry
TIPS: HIGHLANDERS, STORMERS, LIONS, CRUSADERS, BLUES, REBELS, BULLS
Home. After long planes and slow trains and automobiles, odd sauces and sketchy pillows, too much of that teammate and not enough of your true mates, the thrill and then the mundanity of every new city, and the realisation that if you’re successful at this craft, this beautiful sporting trade, you’ll travel more and more and then you might even be Warren Gatland, the exile.
So it is, that in this round, the eighth, home and hearth and every man’s home is his castle, will mount a retrograde rear-guard action, and restore sense to this madcap competition.
I could think long, but then I’d be wrong. I didn’t lead this tipping panel by being overly thoughtful. Or circumspect. Geoff, that’s not a medical term; put away your scalpel.
Home. All the winners will be playing at home. Except one!
The hard men of the South Island over the metro men of the southern tip of the North Island. The reliable High Veld over the fickle Subtropics. Resolute, chastened Canterbury over chilly, roundabout Canberra. Tom Robinson over Tom Robertson.
The Qualude mini Coopers over the Sunset Cubs. And the vengeance-driven, fisticuff-flying Bulls over the melodramatic and much more handsome Jaguares.
Brett’s note: Big ask for Tom Robinson, having to get one over the Waratahs water boy….
Which visitor will win? The worst travellers in the comp: the sad and silly and profligate Stormers. They’ll deepen Thorn’s misery by conspiring to have 25 scrums and 40 line outs, and a 4:1 penalty ratio.
The Boston Red Sox are said to have been cursed for 75 years after they traded Babe Ruth to their rivals, the Yankees. Cue: The Curse of Quade.
SURE THING: If Dana White looks to add market share to the UFC. by featuring one sportsman from each major code and if he likes the way “hooker” sounds in Vegas, he will choose Akker ‘the Angry Warthog’ van der Merwe, for his superior ground-and-pound, over Schalk ‘Captain America’ Brits’ woeful jujitsu.
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?