Blues vs Chiefs
The Blues are looking to end a 21 year wait for glory when they welcome the Chiefs to Eden Park for the Super Rugby final. The visitors were the last team to win the title in 2013, before the Crusaders won it for seven consecutive years. The big new coming out of Auckland is the miraculous recovery of Captain Patrick Tuipulotu who was set to be sidelined for the rest of the season after getting injured in the quarter final. He is not only the leader of the team but it is his physicality that cannot be replaced. The Chiefs were hit with the news that All Black hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho will be unavailable with third choice number two Tyrone Thompson thrown into the starting lineup.
TIP: If the Chiefs are to upset the Blues, they will need to play like they did against the Hurricanes and keep ball in hand. The home side under Vern Cotter had developed a traditional style of play where the big forwards keep ball in hand and hammer away at the opposition. It has worked to perfection and they also had success when these sides met in the latter rounds of the league phase. The bookies have the Blues as favorites and I am also backing them for the win. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Tictacbets 1.47, Wanejo 1.47 and Bettabets 1.48
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS
Blues vs Chiefs
- The Blues have won five of the last six matches between the sides.
- The home side have won four of the last five matches in this fixture.
Latest results for both teams
The Blues beat the Brumbies 34-20 in their last match while the Chiefs beat the Hurricanes 30-19 in their last match,
PREDICTION
Damian McKenzie is not the official skipper of the Chiefs but he is the leader in everything that happens on the field. He will need to find a way to strike the right balance between running and kicking. If his out of hand kicking is wayward then the back three of the Blues will punish the Chiefs. The two areas that the Blues have the advantage is the scrum and the lineouts. The home side will not mind putting the ball out of play as they will put pressure on the new hookers throwing. The Chiefs scrum has struggled throughout the season and with both their first choice hookers not starting, the Blues front row will be licking their lips. I am predicting a Blues 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 Finlay Christie, 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 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Rameka Poihipi, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Luke Jacobson (c), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Jimmy Tupou, 3 George Dyer, 2 Tyrone Thompson, 1 Aidan Ross
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Blues victory are as follows:
Tictacbets 1.47
Wanejo 1.47
Bettabets 1.48
- Odds comparison on the Blues handicap:
The complete odds on the Blues handicap:
Tictacbets 1.90 (-5.5)
Wanejo 1.87 (-5.5)
Bettabets 1.89 (-5.5)
Predictions and Odds in details
There are poor odds on the Blues outright win therefore we suggest the home team on the handicap for better odds. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Tictacbets 1.90(-5.5),Wanejo 1.87 (-5.5) and Bettabets 1.89 (-5.5)
Other tips for the weekend (Predicted winners are in BOLD text)
South Africa vs Mexico(7s)
Blues vs Chiefs
Bulls vs Glasgow
Japan vs England
South Africa vs Wales
Stade Francais vs Bordeaux Begles
Tic Tac Bets is the perfect platform for all your sports bets. We recommend registering with Tic Tac Bets, and you will receive a 100% first deposit match of up to 2000 ZAR.
How to Register
- Log onto the Tic Tac Bets site at www.TicTacBets.co.za
- Click on the Green “Join Now” Button at the top right of the page
- You need to complete the registration form that requires importance personal information and you mobile number
- An OTP code will be sent to your mobile, please enter this code and accept the terms and conditions.
- Click on the “Submit’ Button” to complete the registration process
- Once you finish registering, contact Tic Tac Bets to activate your sign up bonus
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.
