Blues vs Chiefs
In the pick of the final round matches, the Blues welcome the Chiefs to their Eden Park fortress. The home side have it all to play for as they seek to keep hold of their first spot while the visitors have no realistic chance of catching the third place Brumbies so they will remain in 4th spot if they win or lose. Both teams will be looking to bounce back after they suffered narrow losses in the last round. The Blues have recalled their rested players and are at full strength for this match. The Chiefs have rotated their players as they don’t have much to gain from winning this match.
TIP: The Blues will be keen to show the loss to the Crusaders was just a blimp to them as they seek a bonus point win. They are level on 51 points with the Canes but they will in all likelihood pick up a bonus point win in their match against a weakened Highlanders team. The Chiefs will be looking for some momentum before the playoffs and will be given a huge boost if they can overcome the much fancied Blues team. The bookies have the Blues as favorites and I’m also tipping them for the win. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Tictacbets 1.40, SoccerShop 1.40 and Bettabets 1.40
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS
Blues vs Chiefs
- The Blues have won three of the last four matches between the sides.
- The home team have won five of the last six matches between the sides.
Latest results for both teams
The Blues lost 29-27 to the Crusaders in their last match while the Chiefs lost 20-17 to the Hurricanes in their last match.
PREDICTION
This season has seen the Blues put away the razzle dazzle style of rugby and adopt a more forwards-based game plan. The main reason for this is that coach Vern Cotter loves his teams to be strong up front. He has the best of both worlds at the Blues as they have tremendous fire power in the backs as well with the likes of Mark Telea and Caleb Clarke. The Chiefs have struggled to hit the heights of last season and much can be down to the number of injuries they have experienced. Damian McKenzie will again be the key man for them, if he can provide the spark then the likes of Shaun Stevenson and Emoni Narawa can show their skills. I am predicting a home win by more than 10 points.
Probable Starting XVs
Blues
15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Mark Tele’a, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 AJ Lam, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Harry Plummer, 9 Taufa Funaki, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Chiefs
15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Rameka Poihipi, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Luke Jacobson (c), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Jimmy Tupou, 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 George Dyer, 2 Bradley Slater, 1 Aidan Ross
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Blues victory are as follows:
Tictacbets 1.40
SoccerShop 1.40
Bettabets 1.40
Odds comparison on the Blues handicap:
The complete odds on the Blues handicap:
Tictacbets 1.90 (-7.5)
SoccerShop 1.87 (-7.5)
Bettabets 1.89 (-7.5)
Predictions and Odds in details
There are poor odds on the Blues outright win therefore we suggest backing the home team on the handicap for better odds. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Tictacbets 1.90 (-7.5), SoccerShop 1.87 (-7.5) and Bettabets 1.89 (-7.5)
Other tips for the weekend (Predicted winners are in BOLD text)
Waratahs vs Reds
Force vs Brumbies
Stormers vs Lions
Scarlets vs Dragons
Cardiff vs Ospreys
Bath vs Sale Sharks
Sports crazy fan that follows all major sport but the game with the oval ball is my real passion. Was an age level rugby coach and a huge supporter of the Springboks and diehard Liverpool man. I’m an experienced punter and sports writer whose predictions/tips are sure to stir up the emotions. I love the occasional wager on the underdog.
