Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Round 10

By Steve Leave a Comment

Week 10 of Super 15 Rugby 2012 kicks off tomorrow night when the Blues host the Reds at Eden Park in Auckland. There appears to be a bit of a gap appearing at the top of the table with the New Zealand and South African team dominating the competition to this point.

Australia are lucky that the new Super Rugby format rewards the best performing team from each conference as without this Australia would be lucky to have a side make the top 6.

The Chiefs, Stormers and Bulls lead the competition on 35, 33 and 33 points respectively with the Brumbies 7 points adrift in 3rd place on 26. The Waratahs are nipping at their heels on 25 points for top spot in the Australian conference.

We preview all of the action for round 10 below including our tips and best bets for each match.

Blues v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 27 April, 5.35pm

The Blues head into this one on the back of another loss, albeit a narrow one to the Highlanders last week. While the Reds had their chances but could not convert them in a 23-13 loss to the Stormers last weekend.

Both sides will be looking to hit back this week with the Reds looking to try and claw back some ground on the Waratahs and Brumbies at the top of the Australian conference. They sit 5 points behind the Brumbies in 3rd place and a win with a bonus point will see them join them at the top.

The Blues have been woeful this season, one of the favourites heading into the start of the tournament they’ve failed to live up to their potential. They currently languish at the bottom of the Super 15 Rugby ladder and it’s hard to see any way back for them on current form.

The Reds receive a boost this week with Digby Loane back from suspension after serving 5 weeks for a dangerous throw. With their injury concerns also easing they’ll fancy themselves to make a charge for the finals coming into the second half of the season.

I can’t go past a Reds win in this one, the Blues have been atrocious and I just can’t bring myself to tip them anymore.

Lions v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Saturday 28 April, 3.10am

This should be a cracking match with the Brumbies embarking on their tour of South Africa last week and almost getting up over the Bulls. This week they take on the Lions who sit towards the bottom of the table and bottom of the South African conference.

The Lions are coming off the bye so should be fresh and would no doubt have had a good look at their performances so far this season in detail. They’ve scored the least amount of points out of any side in the competition so far but defensively they’ve conceded the 8th lowest amount of points. They’re the only side that has had two byes so far which has propelled them above the Blues on the ladder.

The Brumbies came close to a huge upset last weekend coming within 2 points of the Bulls away from home. It was a fantastic performance which earned them 2 bonus points for their troubles. They’ve been excellent this season, which was considered to be a rebuilding year, and they are a real chance of making the finals.

I think the Brumbies will be too strong in this one bit I can see the Lions getting a bonus point out of it, this one could be closer than expected though.

Chiefs v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 28 April, 5.35pm

The Chiefs come into this one on the back of a narrow 6 point victory over the Sharks in Durban last weekend while the Hurricanes are coming off a mauling at the hands of the Crusaders. Sitting at the top of the table, the Chiefs have had a fantastic start to the season and a re on a run of 7 straight wins heading into this one.

The Chiefs managed to come out of their Australian and South African tours unbeaten which is a fantastic effort and should hold them in good stead going into the second half of the season.

The Hurricanes are sitting mid-table on 25 points and are just 1 win outside of a place inside the top 6 depite an up and down season so far. They’ve scored the second highest amount of points of any side in the competition but it is their defence that has let them down with a number of high scoring losses.

This seems cut and dried with the Chiefs at home and sitting at the top of the table in great form, but I think the Hurricanes will test them here. Chiefs should get the points but don’t be surprised if the Hurricanes get a bonus point out of it.

Force v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 28 April, 7.40pm

The Western Force come into this match having just had the bye and a chance to recharge the batteries while the Stormers continue on their tour of Australia following a 10 point win over the Reds last weekend. The Stormers are looking to get top spot on the table back after being overtaken by the Chiefs a couple of weeks ago and they’ll see this match in Perth as the ideal opportunity to get a good win and possibly a bonus point as well.

The Force have had their ups and downs this season and their last start was a home loss to the Waratahs. They’ll take confidence from the fact that they were down and out in that match but rallied and almost got the points, taking the lead before Berrick Barnes fired the Waratahs ahead with two penalty conversions.

The Force are yet to play a South African team and this will be a massive test for them, they also have a tour to embark on starting next week so this will be a good hit-out to give them an idea of what they will be facing in the coming weeks.

The Stormers should be too strong in this one and I can’t see the Force getting anything out of it to be honest.

Cheetahs v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Free State Rugby Stadium, Sunday 29 April, 1.05am

The Highlanders head into this match 5 points behind the league and conference leading Chiefs and are coming off the back of a narrow 3 point win over the Blues last weekend. The Cheetahs are coming off the bye and will be looking to build on their narrow 6 point loss to the Chiefs a fortnight ago.

The Cheetahs lost Rayno Benjamin to a dislocated shoulder against the Chiefs, the winger now out for the remainder of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season. Cameron Jacobs has been tasked with the responsibility of replacing the injured winger, he played for the Cheetahs earlier in the season before being reeplaced by Benjamin.

The Highlanders don’t have any fresh injury concerns and will be looking to get their first win over South African opposition following their 21-6 loss to the Stormers a few weeks ago. They continue their South African tour next weekend against the Sharks and will want to come out of it with 2 wins to keep the pressure on the Chiefs at the top of the table.

The Highlanders will be hungry for a win here and I can’t see the Cheetahs being a match for them, they should come out of it with a vastly improved for and against and possible a bonus point.

Waratahs v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sunday 29 April, 4.10pm

The Waratahs head into this match on the back of a 9 point win over the Melbourne Rebels last weekend while the Crusaders thumped the Hurricanes 42-18. This week marks the return of inspirational skipper Richie McCaw for the Crusaders, a week earlier than expected, and he’ll play his first match of the season from the bench.

The Waratahs are hot on the heels of the Brumbies for the top spot in the Australian conference and a guaranteed finals spot, they sit just 1 point behind them just outside the wildcard spots.

The Crusaders sit in 6th place at the moment and are on a good run of 4 wins from their last 5 matches. They’ll welcome back McCaw with open arms as the All Blacks captain adds class to their forward pack and will give them even more firepower heading into the second half of the season.

The Waratahs could struggle to contain the Crusaders here and I think they’ll be doing well to get a bonus point out of this one, home ground advantage may just get them over the line in that respect. Crusaders for the win.

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 10 Preview – Tips

Blues v Reds – Reds
Lions v Brumbies – Brumbies
Chiefs v Hurricanes – Chiefs
Force v Stormers – Stormers
Cheetahs v Highlanders – Highlanders
Waratahs v Crusaders - Crusaders

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 10 Preview – Best Bets

Blues v Reds – Reds +6.5 @ $1.91
Lions v Brumbies – Brumbies 1-12 @ $2.85
Chiefs v Hurricanes – Chiefs @ $1.40
Force v Stormers – Stormers -5.5 @ $1.91
Cheetahs v Highlanders – Highlanders 1-12 @ $3.00
Waratahs v Crusaders – First to 10 points – Crusaders @ $1.55

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 9 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 9 of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season kicks off on Friday night when the Highlanders take on the Blues in an all New Zealand affair. We have just the six matches again this weekend with the Cheetahs, Force and Lions getting the week off with a bye.

Last weekend went pretty much to script with all of the favourites getting wins for the first time since the season started. The big match up was the unbeaten Stormers travelling to Christchurch to take on an improving Crusaders side. The Crusaders were too strong in the end, putting an end to the 7 match unbeaten run of the South Africans.

The Waratahs and Brumbies had wins over the Force and Rebels respectively while the Bulls did enough to take out the Lions by the predicted 13+ scoreline, but only just.

The Chiefs have been the big surprise this season, topping both the NZ Conference and Overall Ladders after 8 rounds. A fantastic achievement for a side that many, including me, thought would just get a top 6 spot.

So let’s get into it, check out our preview of each match of round 9 below, including our tips and best bets!

Highlanders v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsythe Barr Stadium, Friday 20 April, 5.35pm

The Blues season just goes from bad to worse, beaten at home 29-23 by the Sharks last weekend. That makes it just 1 win from 7 matches all season and they are struggling big time. It won’t get any easier here against a Highlanders side fresh off the bye and hurting after their 21-6 loss against the Stormers a fortnight ago.

The Blues just don’t seem to have any answers and I’m surprised they are doing so badly this season. I had them in my top 6 come the end of the season and that is not going to happen based on what I’ve seen so far!

The Highlanders have been overtaken by the Chiefs as the top side in the New Zealand conference and they will want to get that back with a dominant display here against the Blues. The weeks rest will have done their older players like Andrew Hore and Jamie Macintosh the world of good and I can’t see the Blues getting close to them in this one.

Reds v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Friday 20 April, 7.40pm

The Reds have had a week off with the bye and boy did they need it. Down on troops and looking a shadow of the side that took out last years competition, the bye has come at the perfect time for them. The Stormers lost their first match of the season against the Crusaders last week and they’ll be looking to try and get back to winning ways in this one.

One positive for the Stormers is that they only let in the 1 try against the Crusaders, which shows that their defence is still holding strong. They were not as disciplined as we are used to seeing last week and that is one area they will need to clean up going into this one.

The Reds may be able to call on the services of Ben Lucas and Mike Harris after the duo missed a number of matches through injury. The bye has given the Reds the chance to take stock and get some of their players back to full fitness.

This is a tough one to call, the Stormers have been by far the best team in the comp so far and I can’t see them losing two in a row. However, the Reds will look at this as a fresh start and will also be raring to go in front of their home support. I’m going to live on the edge and predict a Reds win in this one, by a very small margin.

Hurricanes v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 5.35pm

The Hurricanes were given a week off with the bye last week while the Crusaders took out the unbeaten Stormers 31-24 in Christchurch.

The Crusaders look to be hitting top form midway through the season and there is no coincidence that this has coincided with the return of Fly Half Dan Carter from injury. They are still without inspirational skipper Richie McCaw but the news on him is positive, he could be back to face the Reds a fortnight from now in Christchurch.

The Hurricanes have been up and down this season with 4 wins and 3 losses, they find themselves just inside the top 6, 2 points ahead of the Crusaders in 7th. The Crusaders will want to knock the Hurricanes off here and get the spot inside the top 6 that they will feel they rightfully deserve.

Crusaders by a couple of tries would be my pick for this one, the Hurricanes aren’t known for their defence and this could be a high scoring one.

Waratahs v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 7.40pm

The Waratahs are coming off the back of a nailbiting 23-18 win over the Force in Perth at the weekend. They led 17-3 at one point before a Force fightback saw them take the lead 18-17 with 15 to go. It looked as though the Waratahs were going to blow another match they led against the Force until two late penalties converted by Berrick Barnes gave them the 5 point win.

The Rebels were atrocious against the Brumbies in a 37-6 pummelling in Canberra. They have looked much improved this season but that performance had 2011 written all over it against a Brumbies side that have overachieved so far this year.

This should be pretty one sided with the Waratahs at home against a Rebels side looking for answers after being ambushed in Canberra. Waratahs by plenty!

Sharks v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 22 April, 1.05am

This should be an absolute beauty with the Chiefs sitting atop the 2012 Super 15 Rugby Ladder and the Sharks coming off a 29-23 win away from home against the Blues. The Sharks are doing well considering they have had just the 2 home games so far this season, sitting in 8th place and only a win outside of the top 6.

The Sharks have won their only two home matches so far this season and they’ll be coming up against a Chiefs side full of confidence after 6 wins on the trot. They took care of the Cheetahs 39-33 in South Africa at the weekend to keep their run going and propel them to top spot at the expense of the Stormers.

In South Africa, this result could be anything. The Sharks usually play well in Durban and the Chiefs weren’t at their best last weekend. I’ll stick with them though, they should make this 7 in a row and keep top spot this week.

Bulls v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 22 April, 3.10am

The Bulls earned themselves a 32-18 win over the Lions at the weekend and although they weren’t at their best they did enough to earn themselves a bonus point. The Brumbies, they were in fine form, albeit against a poor Rebels side, in a 37-6 shellacking.

This week the Brumbies must overcome their lack of form away from home, they’ve only had 2 away games so far this season but they have lost both of them. Jake White makes his return to South Africa after leading the Springboks to victory in the 2007 World Cup. His young Brumbies are yet to play a match in South Africa since he joined the helm in the offseason.

This should be an easy win to the Bulls on paper, but the Brumbies have surprised many this season, including me. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Brumbies are up for this one however, the Bulls should still get the win by a couple of tries at home!

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Sports Banter’s Tips:

Highlanders v Blues – Highlanders
Reds v Stormers – Reds
Hurricanes v Crusaders – Crusaders
Waratahs v Rebels – Waratahs
Sharks v Chiefs – Chiefs
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview - Banter’s Best Bets

Highlanders v Blues – Highlanders @ $1.53
Reds v Stormers – Reds 1-12 @ $3.00
Hurricanes v Crusaders – Crusaders -5.5 @ $1.91
Waratahs v Rebels – Waratahs 13+ @ $1.79
Sharks v Chiefs – Chiefs +3.0 @ $1.91
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls 13+ @ $1.79

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 8 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 8 of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season kicks off on Friday night when the struggling Blues tackle the Sharks in Auckland.

Last week contained a number of upsets again with the Blues taken down by the Rebels and the Hurricanes taking out the Sharks. Most of round 7 was business as usual though with the Stormers, Chiefs and Bulls continuing their dominance of this years competition.

The Australian sides fared a little better than last week with the Reds and Rebels getting wins and the Waratahs with the bye. The Force and Brumbies were taken down a notch following their recent good form, both will have the chance against Aussie opposition to right that this week.

So let’s get into it, don’t forget that we also offer live scores including live Super Rugby action, head into our live scores section on match day to keep up with the action.

Blues v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EST)

Both sides head into ths one on the back of demoralising defeats, the Bulls at the hands of the Rebels and the Sharks were thumped by the Hurricanes.

The Blues have been the most disappointing side so far this season, in my season preview I had tipped them to be contenders for the top 6. With the quality of players at their disposal they really should be doing better and they should have had enough in them to dispose of the Rebels.

The Sharks were shocking against the Hurricanes, at one point they were down 25-3 and despite a better second half were no match for the NZ outfit.

This will be a tough one, the Blues have been so bad this year that I don’t want to tip them anymore but I’ll give them one last chance. At home they should be too strong for the Sharks who struggle on the road.

Force v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 9.10pm (EST)

The Force head into this match on the back of a narrow 20-12 loss to the Chiefs at the weekend while the Waratahs have had a chance to regroup with the bye.

They needed it too after after slumping to a 30-13 loss to the Chiefs and their season going downhill fast. They’ll also be hurting from the last meeting between these two a month or so ago where the Force caused what was the upset of the season at that point. The bye should have helped them with injuries, which they have many, so a week off would not have done them any harm.

The Force lacked potency against the Chiefs and they’ll be banking on Cameron Shepherd returning to action as soon as possible to give them a bit more in attack. They’ll take confidence in their surprise win over the Waratahs earlier in the season and will be looking to produce the same here at home.

Despite that Force win earlier this season, I think the Waratahs will be too strong after the week’s rest and should get the 4 points in this one.

Crusaders v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Rugby League Park, Christchurch, Saturday 5.30pm (EST)

The Crusaders head into another battle with a top South African outfit after their narrow loss to the Bulls last weekend. Controversy surrounded that clash with the Bulls accusing the Crusasders of eye gouging, a claim they strongly refute. Considering the claims have since been thrown out by the citing commissioner, it will be interesting to see whether this affects their mentality heading into this one.

The Stormers just continue on their winning ways, they sit atop the Super 15 Rugby ladder in both their conference and overall and it looks like no one can stop them. They haven’t been outstanding in attack but it appears as if no one can break through their defence which has conceded just 97 points.

I have a feeling this could be the week that the Stormers lose their unbeaten run though. The Crusaders will be fired up and will want to take that out on their next South African opponents, the Stormers can thank the Bulls for firing them up.

Brumbies v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

The Brumbies head into this one on the back of a loss to the Reds up in sunny Queensland, while the Rebels secured a good win against the Blues on Thursday night.

Heading back to Canberra Stadium with the cold snap that has just hit might give the Brumbies the conditions that they thrive in. They were toothless against the Reds at the weekend and will need to improve in attack if they want to get anything here against an improving Rebels side.

The Rebels were outstanding on Thursday night against the Blues. While the Blues have been disappointing this season you can’t take anything away from this Rebels side that have shown that they are anything but easy beats this season. Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor have been standouts, especially against the Blues last week.

This is a tough one to call, I’m tempted to go with the Rebels after that win over the Blues but I think the conditions in Canberra will favour the Brumbies. I’m tipping them to bounce back in this one.

Cheetahs v Chiefs - Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 1.05am (EST)

The Cheetahs have surprised me so far this season, I had them pegged to finish at the bottom of the ladder after losing Sarel Pretorius in the offseason. They’re attack doesn’t seem to have suffered too much though, they’ve scored 194 points to be the third highest point scorers in the league. The problem is that they’ve also conceded 199 points, the most by any side in the league.

The Chiefs are on fire at the moment, after a slow start to the season they’ve moved themselved up to second on the ladder just behind the Stormers. Every player has chipped in for the Chiefs so far this season, with Lelia Masaga, Tim Nanai-Williams, Sona Taumalolo and Sonny Bill Williams all outstanding so far.

As much as I like the Cheetahs at home, I can’t go past the Chiefs to keep up their good form and give top spot a shake with the Stormers away to the Crusaders this week.

Lions v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 3.10am (EST)

Two South African sides with completely contrasting playing styles and form over the season. The Lions at the bottom of the ladder with just the one win, the Bulls in the top 6 with four wins to their name so far this season.

The Lions come into this one on the back of another shaky performance, this time against the Cheetahs. This was a match where they should have been competing. They need to win those matches if they are to get themselves off the bottom of the ladder as they will be hard pressed winning many others.

The Bulls played out a 32-30 win over the Crusaders at the weekend but the match was marred by the Bulls alleging that the Crusaders had eye gouged throughout the match. This was unproven and the matter didn’t go any further but I just wonder whether there was any substance to the claims. It’s unusual for a winning side to make a claim like this, it usually comes from a side that comes out of the match looking like sore losers.

I can’t go past the Bulls in this one, they should earn themselves a bonus point and they’ll need it with an Australian road trip just around the corner!

Super 15 Rugby Round 8 – Sports Banter Tips:

Blues v Sharks – Blues
Force v Waratahs – Waratahs
Crusaders v Stormers – Crusaders
Brumbies v Rebels – Brumbies
Cheetahs v Chiefs – Chiefs
Lions v Bulls - Bulls

Super 15 Rugby Round 8 – Best Bets:

Blues v Sharks - Over 48.5 @ $1.90
Force v Waratahs - Waratahs -3.5 @ $1.91
Crusaders v Stormers - Crusaders @ $1.60
Brumbies v Rebels - Brumbies 1-12 @ $2.90
Cheetahs v Chiefs - Chiefs 1-12 @ $2.85
Lions v Bulls – Bulls @ $1.25

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 7 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 7 of the Super 15 Rugby season kicks off this Thursday, yes you heard it right. With this being the Easter long weekend, the matches kick off a day early, starting with the Rebels hosting the Blues from AAMI Park.

We head into this week on the back of a round that contained a plethora of upsets. The biggest of them all, the Cheetahs massive win over the Hurricanes. I didn’t see that one coming!

The Waratahs were done by the Chiefs in Sydney and the Reds by the Force over in Perth to wrap up another miserable week for the Aussie teams. The Brumbies were unlucky in their defeat to the Sharks, just the Force winners in the Aussie conference this week.

We preview each match of Round 7 of the Super 15 Rugby season below, including our tips for each match and best bets.

Rebels v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Thursday 5 April, 7.40pm

The Rebels head into this one on the back of a hiding at the hands of the Highlanders last Friday. They were no match for them in the second half and should have done better, going into half time at 12-12. The Rebels will welcome back Danny Cipriani, who injured his hamstring a couple of weeks ago, he’ll move O’Connor to the number 12 and will give them a bit of a boost.

The Blues have yet to get going and I’m starting to wonder whether they even will to be honest. They have been the most disappointing side this year so far and should be much higher up the ladder with the personnel they have. Last week they had an easy win, the bye, and will be looking to move their way up the ladder with a win in this one.

I can’t see the Rebels being as bad as they were in the second half against the Highlanders last week, so I give them a chance in this one. The Blues, they will be refreshed from the bye and looking to start their season over, I think they will get one over the Rebels here.

Hurricanes v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 6 April, 5.35pm

The Hurricanes will be hurting after last weeks loss to the Cheetahs, one of the upsets of the season so far. They conceded 47 points in that match at home and will be looking to take out the frustration on the Sharks here. They really have no excuses for the loss, at one point they led 32-11 and really should have gone on with it.

The Sharks could be considered lucky to win their last match against the Brumbies. The lead changed 7 times in the match and they ended up on the right end of the scoreboard after 80 minutes. That 29-26 win was their first in the ACT since 1998 and they will be hoping that it gives them the confidence to tackle the Hurricanes in New Zealand this weekend.

This is a tough one to call, the Hurricanes at home should be favourites but on recent performances I’m inclined to tip the Sharks for an upset win here.

Reds v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Friday 6 April, 7.40pm

The Reds have a chance to redeem themselves and knock off Aussie opponents after last weeks embarrassing loss to the Force. The Reds have now lost 3 in a row for the first time since 2009 and it will be a true test of their character here. They were severely depleted in the creativity department with Cooper, Harris, Lucas and Lance all out. It will be interesting to see whether Harris or Lucas are named this week with their injuries on the mend.

The Brumbies went down in a close one to the Sharks at the weekend, just a penalty goal separating the two sides at full time. They’ll go into this one as favourites for good reason, but they’ll need to be wary of a wounded Reds side looking to regain some pride. They’ll need to perform like they did last season in the corresponding fixture where they knocked the Reds, their only loss at home.

It’s hard to back against the Reds at Suncorp, even with the amount of injuries they have. I’m going to tip an upset, if you can call it that, with the Reds to bounce back here.

Force v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 6 April, 9.40pm

The Force were outstanding against the Reds on Saturday night, putting 45 points on the reigning champions. The Reds were depleted through injury, but the Force can only play what is put in front of them and the Reds do have a fair bit of depth. The Force put in what was probably their best performance in the last two seasons of Super 15 Rugby and will be full of confidence going into this one.

The Chiefs head into this one on the back of a solid 30-13 win over the Waratahs on Saturday night. The first half was all the Waratahs and I couldn’t believe they went into half time down 13-10 to be honest. I think the players must have been shcoked too because their second half effort was nowhere near as good, the Chiefs took full advantage to keep them scoreless.

The Chiefs have been one of the better teams so far this Super 15 Rugby season, and I see no reason that will change this week. I think they will be too good for an improving Force side.

Highlanders v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsythe Barr Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 5.35pm

This should be a cracker, 1 v 2 on the ladder and probably the two in form teams of the competition. The Highlanders bounced back from their disappointing match against the Brumbies with a 31 point mauling of the Rebels at the weekend. They’ll head into this one without the services of Colin Slade and Andrew Hore but they managed well enough without them last week.

The Stormers won the battle of the top South African sides at the weekend with a 20-17 win over the Bulls. They are the only undefeated side left in the Super Rugby competition and are playing with a heap of confidence at the moment. The Stormers have been resolute in defence and they’ll need to be against a side that isn’t afraid to score points. In saying that though, they contained the Bulls last week who had scored the most points in the competition at that point.

This could go either way, the Stormers will be looking to keep their unbeaten run going but I think the Highlanders might just knock them off here.

Cheetahs v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Free State Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 11.00pm

An all South African affair sees the Lions travel to Bloemfontain to tackle the Cheetahs here. Both sides are at the wrong end of the table as predicted and this could be another high scoring match between these two.

The Cheetahs could be out of the competition in as little as 9 months as the Southern Kings ready themselves for entry into the competition next season. One of the existing sides needs to drop out to make way for them and the Cheetahs are at the bottom of the pile in terms of South African sides. This was brought up again mid week and both of these sides will no doubt be looking to prove a point here.

The Cheetahs caused an upset win 47-38 over the Hurricanes at the weekend, while the Lions head into this one on the bakc of a 23-13 loss to the Crusaders.

I think the Cheetahs will knock off the Lions here and will make a statement to SA Rugby that they aren’t the side that should be excluded from next years competition.

Bulls v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 8 April, 1.00am

Another cracker to wrap up Super 15 Rugby for round 6 with the 5th placed Bulls taking on the 6th placed Crusaders. The Bulls had a narrow loss to fellow South Africans the Stormers last weekend, going down 20-17 in a close encounter. The Bulls were down 14-0 at one stage just after half time and staged a great comeback to get the scores back to 17 all with just a few minutes remaining. The Stormers got a late penalty but I think the Bulls will take some confidence from that match and will be raring to go at home here against the Crusaders.

The Crusaders had a 23-13 win over the Lions at the weekend, and despite having an almost full strength squad they struggled to put them away. They now have Dan Carter back to full fitness and only have Richie McCaw sitting on the sidelines, they’ve already started their push towards the top of the table. The Crusaders will be buoyed by the fact they kept the Lions scoreless in the second half and will be looking to reproduce that defence here.

At home, the Bulls have already lost to New Zealand opposition this season and I feel they will suffer another one here with the Crusaders getting better and better each week.

Sports Banter’s Tips – Super 15 Rugby Round 6

Rebels v Blues – Blues
Hurricanes v Sharks – Sharks
Reds v Brumbies – Reds
Force v Chiefs – Chiefs
Highlanders v Stormers – Highlanders
Lions v Cheetahs – Cheetahs
Bulls v Crusaders – Crusaders

Banter’s Best Bets - Super 15 Rugby Round 6

Rebels v Blues – Blues 1-12 @ $2.80
Hurricanes v Sharks – Sharks -2.5 @ $2.09
Reds v Brumbies – Reds 1-12 @ $2.85
Force v Chiefs – Chiefs @ $1.50
Highlanders v Stormers – Highlanders -2.5 @ $2.00
Lions v Cheetahs – Cheetahs – 5.5 @ $1.91
Bulls v Crusaders – Crusaders +3.5 @ $1.91

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 6 Preview

By Steve 1 Comment

Round 6 of the 2012 Super 15 Rugby season is upon us and it promises to be a beauty if the last couple are anything to go by. The upsets were few and far between this week, with just the Brumbies causing what could be considered a real upset by taking out the unbeaten Highlanders.

The Waratahs finally got back to winning ways and did so in style, beating the Sharks in a thoroughly entertaining affair 34-30. The Reds didn’t fare so well, absolutely smashed by the Bulls conceding 61 points in the process.

Round 6 will no doubt see some upsets, but the top teams seem to have settled in a bit now with the Stormers, Bulls and Chiefs continuing to look good. This could change once the top South African sides go on the road though.

Check out our preview of round 6 of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season below, including our tips and best bets for the week.

Highlanders v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Rugby Park, Invercargill, Friday 30 March, 5.35pm

The Highlanders were outdone in a close one against the Brumbies last weekend, going down 33-26 at Canberra Stadium. To make things worse, the Highlanders lost key playmaker Colin Slade with a fracture of the ankle. Early diagnosis is he will be out for the rest of the season.

The Rebels secured their first win of the season in a close one of their own, a 30-29 win over the Western Force at home. Danny Cipriani pulled up with a hamstring early in the second half of that one and could miss the next 4-6 weeks. When he went off the Rebels had a 21-0 lead, they almost threw the game away from that point.

At home, I can’t go past the Highlander to grab all 4 points in this one, they will also no doubt be after a bonus point as well.

Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Saturday 31 March, 3.30pm

The Hurricanes head into this one on the back of a thrilling 26-25 win over the Blues last Friday night. They got away with the win courtesy of a last minute try to captain Conrad Smith and subsequent conversion by Beauden Barrett after the siren. A hard fought win that moved them up to 6th on the overall ladder and in the Wildcard places.

The Cheetahs, they fought hard against the Crusaders but the class of the New Zealand outfit eventually told as they went down 28-21. They were in the game with scores locked at 21 a piece with just a few minutes to go but couldn’t hold the Crusaders out. They’ll be looking to improve and another game in New Zealand awaits them here.

The Cheetahs are showing signs of improvement but so are the Hurricanes, I think the Hurricanes will get this in a tight encounter. The Cheetahs may earn themselves another bonus point here.

Chiefs v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 31 March, 5.35pm

The Chiefs had the bye last week and they currently top the New Zealand conference on 18 points. They’ll head into this one with plenty of confidence following their last match which was a home win over the Brumbies.

The Waratahs looked a different side against the Sharks, throwing the ball around for a change and it looks as if they boring rugby we are used to seeing is a thing of the past. Obviously, this means the Waratahs are likely to concede more defensively, but as long as they are outscoring their opponents that’s not really an issue. Brendan McKibbin looks likely to get the nod again at halfback this week, with Sarel Pretorius to warm the bench again.

The Waratahs look to have finally found playmakers that will allow them to play expansive rugby, this all bodes well for the rest of the season. This will be a tough match though, with the Chiefs one of the form teams. I think they may surprise a few people and get the win here though.

Brumbies v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Saturday 31 March, 7.40pm

The Brumbies are coming off a morale boosting 33-26 win over the highly fancied Highlanders last week. They get another home game against the Sharks here and they’ll be wanting to show everyone that last week was no fluke. The Brumbies have impressed with their young side so far, nobody really gave them a chance but they have proved the doubters wrong so far.

The Sharks have another away match to contend with this week after their 34-30 loss to the Waratahs last weekend. They will be disappointed with that result having regained the lead with just 8 minutes to go. They conceded a try with 4 minutes left with earning just the bonus point in that one.

Despite the Brumbies resurgence, I think the Sharks will bounce back with a win in this one in what should be a tight affair.

Force v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 31 March, 9.40pm

The Force went down 30-29 to a spirited Rebels side at the weekend, however they almost snatched the match from the jaws of defeat. At one point the Force were down 21-0 but managed to come back and lead 29-27 before a David Pocock penalty was converted by the Rebels for their first win of the season. The Force went down 35-20 in the last match between these two just a few weeks ago.

The Reds, well what can you say, they were atrocious on the weekend. They went down 61-8 to a rampant Bulls side over in Pretoria. Despite a depleted side, the Reds should have put up more of a fight in this one and will be looking to bounce back from 2 losses on the trot. They also lost another fly half in this match with Jono Lance going down with a serious ankle injury. This is in addition to the losses of Quade Cooper, Mike Harris and Ben Lucas.

This is a tough one to pick to be honest, the Force have improved since their loss to the Reds, and the Reds have regressed. I still think that the class of the Reds will shine through here and I’ll back them to bounce back.

Lions v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 1 April, 2.05am

The Lions went down by 5 points in a tough match against South African neighbours the Stormers last week. They will have their work cut out for them once again here against a Crusaders side that welcomed back NZ fly half Dan Carter last week. The Lions haven’t been the easy beats that I predicted at the beginning of the season, however they still sit towards the bottom of the table with just the 1 win so far this season.

The Crusaders, as mentioned, welcomed back Dan Carter at the weekend. He came off the bench in the second half and immediately you could tell that he was the reason the Crusaders weren’t at their best this year. He set up a try with his first touch of the ball to give the Crusaders an 18-3 lead just after half time. They switched off though and let the Cheetahs back into the match and they’ll have to be mindful of that against their South African counterparts here.

The Crusaders with Dan Carter are a much better side, he’ll most probably start this one so I can’t go past a Crusaders win here. The Lions might not get a bonus point in this one!

Stormers v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sunday 1 April, 3.05am

Last up in Round 6 we have an all South African affair with the Bulls travelling to Capetown to do battle with the Stormers. This is a battle of the top 2 sides so far this Super 15 Rugby season. They are separated by just a point and in previous seasons would be number 1 and 2 on the ladder. The Bulls sit 4th due to the new conference system and would be the first team to be considered for one of the 3 wildcard spots.

The Stormers have been the most consistent side so far, they are unbeaten but surprisingly have not secured a bonus point yet. They get the job done and haven’t gone crazy like the Bulls have in a couple of their matches. The Stormers almost threw away the match against the Lions at the weekend though. At one point they led 18-0 midway through the first half, only to have that lead cut down to 2 points with 10 minutes left. A couple of late penalties giving the Stormers a narrow win.

This should be a cracker, and for me is the match of the round. Two teams in form, the Bulls on fire in attack, and the Stormers resolute in defence. It could go either way, but I’m going to tip the Bulls here, we won’t have any unbeaten teams after this round.

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Sports Banter’s Tips:

Highlanders v Rebels – Highlanders
Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Hurricanes
Chiefs v Waratahs – Waratahs
Brumbies v Sharks – Sharks
Force v Reds – Reds
Lions v Crusaders – Crusaders
Stormers v Bulls – Bulls

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Highlanders v Rebels – Highlanders @ $1.52
Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Hurricanes -9.0 @ $1.91
Chiefs v Waratahs – Waratahs +12.5 @ $1.36
Brumbies v Sharks – Sharks @ $1.72
Force v Reds – Reds 1-12 @ $2.95
Lions v Crusaders – Crusaders -8.5 @ $1.91
Stormers v Bulls – Bulls +12.5 @ $1.31

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 5 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 5 of Super 15 Rugby 2012 kicks off on Friday and we could be in for a beauty if the past couple of weeks are anything to go by.

Last week wasn’t a good week for the Australian sides with the Brumbies, Waratahs, Reds and Rebels all going down in close encounters.

The Waratahs were shocking in their upset loss to the Western Force, despite assurances that their play would become more exciting they have not shown anything different to the boring play we saw last season.

The Reds went down in a close one to the Sharks away from home, they haven’t looked like the side that took the competition by storm last year. They are no doubt missing the influence of Quade Cooper as much as they won’t admit that his absence is a massive loss.

The Brumbies and Rebels, while they weren’t expected to win their matches, were both in the hunt and were pipped with late tries to the Chiefs and Cheetahs respectively.

This week we’re back to our full compliment of games with the Chiefs sitting the week out with a bye.

Check out our tips for each match below, and this week we’ve also come up with a special Multi as part of our best bets.

Blues v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Eden Park, Friday 23 March, 5.35pm

The Blues continued their early season poor form last weekend when they went down to the Stormers 27-17. Despite possessing a quality squad this season, they just have not hit the sort of form they would have been expecting and are languishing 2nd last on the overall Super 15 Rugby ladder.

The Hurricanes went down in a close one to the Highlanders over the weekend and will be looking to bounce back here once again against New Zealand opposition. They were down 13-3 early in that match and ended up leading 17-16 with 10 to go before a late penalty goal from Highlanders flyhalf Chris Noakes sealed their fate. They currently sit 3rd on the New Zealand conference ladder and 8th overall.

This should be a hard fought match if both sides previous matches are anything to go by. The Hurricanes have been up and down and despite the Blues position on the ladder they are better than that. I think they will get their second win of the season here.

Rebels v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview
AAMI Park, Friday 23 March, 7.40pm

The Rebels would have been gutted by the manner of their loss at the weekend. They were down 20-7 at one point and looked down and out before staging a comeback that got them to back in contention and levelled the scores 26-26 with 80 minutes gone. The Cheetahs managed to keep the ball alive though and broke the hearts of Rebels players and fans alike with a try to seal the win.

The Force scored the upset of Super 15 Rugby 2012 with a hard fought 21-20 win over the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. To be fair, the Waratahs were atrocious but as they say you can only beat what is put in front of you. That win kickstarted a season that had began with 3 straight losses and didn’t look like getting any better.

This is a tough one to call. Both sides looked much better in Round 3 matches and it may just be the homeground advantage that separates this one. The Rebels are due for their first win so that is where my money will be going.

Waratahs v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 3.35pm

In a mid afternoon fixture, the Waratahs will be looking to erase all memories of that inept performance against the Force last weekend. Despite claims of more entertaining and expansive Rugby, the Waratahs have so far played the same boring Rugby that has plagued them over the last few seasons. They will need massive improvements across the board if they are going to get anything out of this one.

The Sharks head into this one on the back of a solid 27-22 win over the reigning champions. At one point the Sharks were down 17-0 but fought back to win on the back of some great defence and two second half tries. The only worry for me is that the second half performance was mainly off the back of a Reds player being sin-binned and two key players going down with injury.

I feel the Sharks would not have won over the weekend had the Reds halves not succumbed to injury, Harris going down in the first half and Lucas missing most of the second. The Waratahs will be looking to bounce back and I feel they may just have the Sharks measure. A demoralising loss like the one against the Force can do wonders for a teams mentality in their next encounter.

Crusaders v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Rugby League Park, Saturday 24 march, 5.35pm

The Crusaders had a chance to put their feet up last week with a bye and will head into this one looking to improve on their 3rd place conference position. The Crusaders have been disappointing so far this season but any side missing the calibre of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw would look a shadow of themselves. I feel we won’t see anywhere near their best until both of those get back on the field and get a few games under their belt.

The Cheetahs will be buoyed by their extra time 33-26 win over the Melbourne Rebels on Sunday afternoon. However, despite a 20-7 lead they almost lost the match and can count themselves lucky. They won’t be able to have concentration lapses against last years runner up and will need to be on their game defensively.

The Crusaders should take care of the Cheetahs comfortably here despite their indifferent start to the season. Get on the Crusaders by plenty in this one.

Brumbies v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 7.40pm

The Brumbies can count themselves unlucky at the weekend, with the scores locked at 22-22, they conceded a late try to go down 29-22. The Chiefs looked to have wrapped the game up, leading 22-15 with 4 to go, but the Brumbies had other ideas, scoring with 4 minutes remaining to lock up the scores. That last minute loss may have dented their confidence but they will need to pick themselves up and get back on the horse against their next opposition from across the Tasman.

The Highlanders have the boot of Chris Noakes to thank for their win against the Hurricanes last weekend. The match never really hit any heights and with Colin Slade off the field it was left to replacement flyhalf Noakes to get the 3 points and the win for the Highlanders. They have now got 4 from 4 and are looking like the team to beat despite not really hitting top form yet.

The Brumbies are showing signs of improvement across the board, their young team has surprised many so far this season. However, I think the Highlanders, who know how to grind out a win, will get the 4 points in this one. Don’t expect any bonus points for them though.

Bulls v Reds – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 25 March, 2.05am

The Bulls had the luxury of a bye last week and also didn’t have to travel anywhere this week. They currently sit 3rd on the ladder, just 2 points off the top and will be looking to put more distance between themselves and the Reds with a win here. They have been up and down this season so far, a 32 point thrashing of the Cheetahs was followed up with a 6 point loss to the Blues at home.

The Reds haven’t been the same team that we saw last season but despite this they still sit 5th on the ladder, just 3 points off the top spot. They are missing direction in the halves and this has been further compounded by the injuries to Ben Lucas and Mike Harris at the weekend. Both have been sent home from South Africa and two youngsters in Eyres-Brown and Rapana have been called upon to join the team in South Africa.

The loss of two key halves for the Reds will make it tough for them here. The Bulls are coming off a week of rest and the Reds have not beaten them in Pretoria since 2001. I don’t see that changing here to be honest.

Lions v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Coca Cola Park, Sunday 25 March, 4.10am

Last up for round 4 of Super 15 Rugby is the Lions hosting the Stormers after a week off. The Lions last start was a 32-20 loss to the Sharks at Kings Park in Durban. This week, they continue their local rivalry at home and will be looking to improve on the form that has seen them win just 1 match so far this season.

The Stormers are on top of the overall Super 15 Rugby standings and will be looking to maintain that this week. They are undefeated so far and look to be the team to beat this year. In saying that though, they have had 3 home matches and a bye so far and things will get much tougher for them when they go on the road from round 7. That will be the real test and we’ll see what they are made of then.

This should be a routine win for the Stormers, I really can’t see the Lions getting close and a bonus point should be on the cards for the competition leaders.

Follow all the action on twitter:
Hashtags: #super15 #SuperRugby #SupeRUG

Super 15 Rugby Preview - Sports Banter’s Tips:

Blues v Hurricanes – Blues
Rebels v Force – Rebels
Waratahs v Sharks - Waratahs
Crusaders v Cheetahs – Crusaders
Brumbies v Highlanders – Highlanders
Bulls v Reds – Bulls
Lions v Stormers – Stormers

Super 15 Rugby Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Blues v Hurricanes – Blues @ $1.61
Rebels v Force – Rebels -2.0 @ $2.11
Waratahs v Sharks - Waratahs @ $1.65
Crusaders v Cheetahs – Crusaders 13+ @ $1.57
Brumbies v Highlanders – Highlanders @ $1.65
Bulls v Reds – Bulls -8.5 @ $1.90
Lions v Stormers – Stormers 13+ @ $2.34

Total Multibet Odds – $64.56

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: Rugby Union, super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 4 Preview

By Steve 2 Comments

Round 4 of Super 15 Rugby 2012 kicks off on Friday night when the Chiefs host the Brumbies at Bay Park Stadium.

Round 3 threw up a few interesting results with favourites the Crusaders, Waratahs and Bulls all getting knocked over. That seems to be the trend so far this season with only the Stormers and Reds finding any sort of consistency. The Reds, however, made hard work of beating the Rebels on Saturday night.

The Brumbies also find themselves towards the top of the table on 12 points but they have had two very narrow wins and a bye.

As per our earlier season predictions, the Force, Lions and Cheetahs find themselves at the bottom of the table. But what is surprising, is seeing the Blues towards the bottom of the table as well.

This week we have just 6 matches with 3 teams getting the bye, the Lions, Bulls and Crusaders. Check out our predictions below and keep an eye out for our best bets later in the week.

Chiefs v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Bay Park Stadium, Tauranga, Fri Mar 16, 5:35PM

The Chiefs surprised everyone again last week, taking down the Crusaders 24-19 away from home. They currently sit second on the New Zealand conference ladder which puts them in the wildcard spot for that conference.

The Brumbies got a last minute win over the Cheetahs at Canberra Stadium, slotting a penalty goal after the siren to take the 4 points. They are undefeated and sit second on the Australian conference ladder behind the Reds on points difference.

This should be an entertaining game, the Chiefs like to throw the ball around and the Brumbies have been involved in some exciting matches so far. At home though, I can’t go past the Chiefs and I think they’ll end the Brumbies unbeaten run here.

Stormers v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sat Mar 17, 4:10AM

This should be a cracking match between two of the heavyweights, although the Blues haven’t resembled that this season. The Stormers are coming off the bye and currently top the South African conference, third overall on points difference.

The Blues got their first win of the season last week against the Bulls away from home. They’re still towards the bottom of both the conference and overall ladders though despite that win. They will be without star All Black second rower Jerome Kaino for the rest of the season, and have Rene Ranger out suspended for 2 matches also.

While the Blues got the job done against the Stormers neighbours last week, I can’t see them getting a similar result this week. The Stormers should be too strong at home and take all 4 points but it should be a close one.

Hurricanes v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Sat Mar 17, 5:35PM

Last week the Hurricanes put the Western Force to the sword in a 46-19 thrashing in Perth. They return home for a local derby this weekend having earned themselves a valuable bonus point on the road.

The Highlanders managed an upset 18-17 win over the Waratahs at the weekend and will be full of confidence going into this one. They currently sit atop the New Zealand conference ladder on 12 points after 3 wins, only behind overall on points difference.

This should be another cracking match between two in form teams coming off morale boosting wins. Despite the Hurricanes emphatic victory over the Force last weekend, I’m leaning towards the Highlanders here in a tight one.

Waratahs v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sat Mar 17, 7:40PM

The Waratahs can count themselves unlucky that they didn’t get all 4 points last weekend against the Highlanders. In a tough match, the Waratahs only went down by a point, with Halangahu missing a crucial conversion which would have given them the win.

The Western Force didn’t turn up against the Hurricanes on the weekend, and they’ll no doubt want to turn that around this week. They were outmuscled, out-enthused and generally just outplayed on the day.

The Waratahs don’t have a great record against the Force, with 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss in 3 matches. The Waratahs have lost flanker Pat McCutcheon in addition to their injured stars Dan Vickerman, Lachie Turner, Drew Mitchell, Rocky Elsom and Wycliffe Palu. Despite the injuries, I think the Waratahs will bounce back here but this will be no walk in the park!

Sharks v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban, Sun Mar 18, 2:05AM

Last week the Sharks managed a 32-20 bonus point win over compatriots the Lions. They’ll be full of confidence going into this one at home against the league leading Queensland Reds. That win over the Lions was their first of the season and they’ve now secured 3 bonus points as well to see them in 3rd place in the South African conference.

The Reds made hard work of their win over the Rebels last weekend, just scraping home 11-6 up at Suncorp Stadium. They start a tough road trip that will tell us whether they are still a champion team, going to Perth after their 2 week South African safari.

This should be an entertaining match between two sides that like to throw the ball around a bit. The Sharks have been disappointing this season and I see the Reds starting their tour off with a narrow victory here.

Rebels v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Sun Mar 18, 4:10PM

The Rebels were unlucky not to get anything out of their match against the Reds last weekend, a gutsy performance against the Champions deserved more. They will take some confidence from that match though and should be competitive once again at home here.

The Cheetahs were also unlucky not to get all 4 points against the Brumbies at the weekend, going down by a point after the Brumbies got a last minute penalty. They’ll want to get their first win of the season here as well so we should be in for a cracking match against two hungry teams.

The Rebels have shown that they aren’t going to be pushovers this season and I think they will get their first win here against the Cheetahs. The Cheetahs have been disappointing this season and much of that is down to the loss of scrum-half Sarel Pretorius to the Waratahs.

sportsbanter.com.au Tips – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 3

Chiefs v Brumbies – Chiefs
Stormers v Blues – Stormers
Hurricanes v Highlanders – Highlanders
Waratahs v Force – Waratahs
Sharks v Reds – Reds
Rebels v Cheetahs – Rebels

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 3

TBA – Odds to be released later in the week.

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: Rugby Union, super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 3 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 3 of the Super 15 Rugby competition kicks off on Friday night when local rivals the Crusaders and the Chiefs go head to head at Christchurch Stadium.

Round 2 saw a number of teams open up and play more expansive Rugby so we should expect more of that this week. Going into the third week, the Bulls hold the outright lead on 9 points with the Reds, Highlanders, Stormers and Brumbies not far behind on 8 points.

The Stormers get the bye this weekend so will really head into this weekend 3 points clear of their rivals on 12 points.

The Cheetahs and the Force sit at the bottom of the table which is no great surprise, however the Blues also sit down that end of the table which is a bit of a shock. Two losses two their compatriots the Crusaders and Chiefs respectively have them sitting on just 1 point.

Round 3 should be action packed and we should get even more of an idea of how the season is going to be played out this week.

Be sure to check out our tips for this weeks matches below, followed later in the week by our best bets for Round 3 of Super 15 Rugby 2012.

Crusaders v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Christchurch Stadium, Friday 9 March, 5.35pm

The Crusaders head into this match on the back of a narrow 3 point loss to the Highlanders last weekend. After their first match triumph against the Blues, this should have been a pretty straightforward win for them. However, the Highlanders turned up to play and caught them off guard. Despite a comeback that saw them lead 21-20 just after half time, the Crusaders didn’t have enough left in the tank to go on with the job.

The Chiefs bounced back from their first round loss to the Highlanders with a convincing 29-14 win over the Blues at the weekend. They scored 4 tries in the demolition in what were atrocious conditions, taking a 29-6 lead into halftime. The Chiefs managed to hold on in the second half to set up a mouth watering clash here between Sonny Bill Williams and the club he left in the offseason.

Despite the Chiefs win over the Blues, I think this will be a different test for them here. The Crusaders pack were monstered and have vowed to lift their game, Crusaders by a small margin for mine.

Force v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium Perth, Friday 9 March, 10.05pm

The Force put up a decent effort against the Reds last weekend but it wasn’t enough to earn themselves a bonus point with the Reds scoring late to blow it out to 15 points. They currently sit on the bottom of the ladder with only points difference keeping them from being dead last.

The Hurricanes got their season going with another high scoring game against South African opposition. They couldn’t reel in the Stormers in round 1 but they got the win they were after at the weekend against the Lions. They led 14-8 at half time and surrendered that lead in the second half, however a 78th minute penalty got them a hard earned win.

There could be some points in this one, the Hurricanes defence has been pretty shaky so far this season and the Force showed against the Reds that their attack might be starting to click. I think the Force may just get the chocolates here.

Brumbies v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 3.35pm

In an early kick off on Saturday the Brumbies host the last placed Cheetahs at Canberra Stadium. The Brumbies had the week off with the bye at the weekend. It’s hard to gauge their form this season after just one match, and a scrappy one at that against the Force in round 1. They have a lot of new players to bed in and a new coach as well, it will be interesting to see if they can build on that round 1 win.

The Cheetahs have had 2 losses to kick their season off and a last placed finish doesn’t look too far away for them. They’ve conceded more points then any side in the competition so far and were unceremoniously smashed by the Bulls last weekend. They’ll do well to get a win this season!

The Brumbies will be fresh from the bye and the Cheetahs start a tough road trip here, I can’t go past the Brumbies in this one.

Highlanders v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 5.35pm

The Highlanders are coming off the back of a solid win over their compatriots the Crusaders in round 2. It was a narrow win but unexpected and they will take a lot of confidence from that one. They have a good run, only having to travel to South Africa from week 10 in the competition. This will give them a chance to get a good start before the tough road trip begins.

The Waratahs were impressive against the Rebels last Friday night. They have a number of players fighting for positions with Foley putting in a blistering performance a fullback to possibly deny Berrick Barnes a starting spot again this week. The Rebels were a bit of an unknown quantity and the Waratahs handled them well, earning themselves a bonus point in the process.

At home, the Waratahs should be able to get the job done against a Highlanders side that has yet to play outside of New Zealand.

Reds v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 7.40pm

The Reds head into round 3 with a 100% record over the first 2 rounds. A narrow last minute win over the Waratahs was followed by a more solid performance against the Force in round 2. Will Genia still looks a bit lost in the halves without Quade Cooper to be honest, but Mike Harris seems to have filled in well, especially in the goal kicking department. He has 9 from 9 to start the season and 24 from 24 in his Super 15 Rugby career.

The Rebels had a tough start to their Super Rugby campaign, with a 35-19 loss to the Waratahs at AAMI Park in Melbourne. They were never really in the match and trailed 22-6 at half time. The Waratahs went on with it in the second half to leave the Rebels winless and without a bonus point. Despite the scoreline, the Rebels defence was actually quite good and they withstood a lot of pressure before succumbing to the Waratahs attacks.

The Reds head into this one as heavy favourites for good reason, they should get past the Rebels quite easily but they should improve as a result of that hit out against the Waratahs.

Sharks v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 11 March, 2.05am

The first of a South African double header sees the winless Sharks hosting the Lions at Kings Park in Durban. The Sharks have struggled without their key playmaker from last season, Sarel Pretorius. They have only scored 25 points so far this season which is the lowest total if you take the Rebels and Brumbies, who have had the bye, out of the equation.

The Lions, they have been involved in two extremely high scoring matches so far so it will be interesting to see which way this one goes. The bulk of the Lions points has come from the boot of Jantjies but they did manage to put three tries past the Hurricanes at the weekend.

This is a tough one to call, I thought the Sharks would struggle a bit this year and so far that has proved to be right. But I also thought the Lions would get the wooden spoon and so far they have looked better than that. I’m going to go against form and tip the Sharks in a close one here, home ground advantage the only thing splitting the two.

Bulls v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 11 March, 4.10am

The Bulls were outstanding last week in demolishing the lacklustre Cheetahs, racking up the first half century of the season in the process. They currently sit at the top of the Super Rugby ladder, both conference and overall. Before the season started I thought the Bulls would bounce back after a couple of seasons as also rans and they are looking like a different team.

The Blues have been disappointing this season, two losses on the trot and just 1 point to their name heading into round 3. It doesn’t get any easier for them this week with a tough road trip to South Africa culminating in a match against the Stormers next week. The Blues need to go back to the basics and hope that wet weather rugby isn’t on the cards again here.

I can’t really go past a Bulls win at home, I think the Blues will improve upon last weeks effort but it won’t be enough to knock over the form team of the comp.

Super 15 Rugby 2012 - sportsbanter.com.au Tips

Crusaders v Chiefs – Crusaders
Force v Hurricanes – Force
Brumbies v Cheetahs – Brumbies
Highlanders v Waratahs – Waratahs
Reds v Rebels – Reds
Sharks v Lions – Sharks
Bulls v Blues – Bulls

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Banter’s Best Bets

Best bets to follow when odds for round 3 are released…….

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: Rugby Union, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 2 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 2 of the 2012 Super 15 Rugby competition kicks off on Friday night. We now have a clearer picture after round 1 and it looks like 2012 could be a close one. The majority of the games from round 1 were settled by less than 5 points including a couple of upsets along the way.

On top of that we saw some breathtaking moments with Dom Shipperley causing the Waratahs heartache with a try after the siren. Also, the Blues went down in a nail biter to the Crusaders, but not before the Blues had a chance to snatch the win themselves in the dying minutes.

The Brumbies have the bye this week after their narrow win against the Western Force last weekend.

This week can only get better as the standards improve, we preview all of the action below. Let’s see if we can do a bit better with our predictions this week!

Chiefs v Blues – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Friday 5.30pm (EDT)

The Chiefs head into this match on the back of a disappointing loss to the Highlanders in Round 1. They led for much of the game but somehow managed to let the Highlanders back into the match before losing by 4 points.

The Blues also suffered a narrow loss at the hands of the Crusaders in Round 1 and will want to bounce back here against their neighbours. The Blues were outstanding in the first 20 minutes of the match and if they can put that together for 80 minutes they will be hard to stop.

A cracking match to get Round 2 underway, I can’t go past the Blues in this one based on what I saw from last week. The Chiefs also have a few injuries after last weeks match to contend with.

Rebels v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview
AAMI Park, Friday 7.40pm (EDT)

Another all Aussie affair continues our Friday night Super Rugby action. This time it’s the Rebels hosting the Waratahs at AAMI Park. The Rebels are coming off a bye in Round 1 so are a bit of an unknown quantity at this stage. I’ve predicted they’ll be the most improved team in this years competition but we’ll have to wait and see how they go here to see if that rings true.

The Waratahs can count themselves unlucky that they didn’t get all the points against the Reds last weekend. A try after the siren to Dom Shipperley robbing them of a victory that they may think was rightly theirs. It wasn’t to be and they need to pick themselves up after that loss and get on with the job here against the Rebels.

With the Waratahs going down narrowly last week I think they will be up for this one. The Rebels are yet to play a competitive match and may be a little rusty so I’ll tip the Waratahs in this one by a decent margin.

Lions v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Saturday 4.10am (EDT)

The Lions head into this match on the back of a narrow win over the Cheetahs last Sunday morning our time. Despite not scoring any tries the Lions still managed to put 27 points on the board. It’s fair to say that wasn’t one of the most exciting Super Rugby matches to watch but they got the job done.

The Hurricanes were torn apart in the second half against the Stormers after a competitive first half. They head into this match with an extra week of rest behind them after travelling to South Africa late last week for their Round 1 clash. They also have a decent record against the Lions with 9 wins and just the 1 loss in their last 10 matches.

I think this will be a close one, but I have a feeling the Hurricanes will improve their discipline and go on with this one. I wonder what the Lions are paying to score a try in this one?

Highlanders v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday 5.30pm (EDT)

Another all New Zealand affair between the Highlanders and the Crusaders gets us underway on Saturday night. Both sides are coming off narrow victories from Round 1 and will want to keep the momentum going here.

The Highlanders came from behind to narrowly beat the Chiefs last weekend and they’ll be looking to christen their new home with a win in this one.

The Crusaders also came from behind against the Blues last week showing that they still have what it takes to be at the top. This despite losing the calibre of players of Brad Thorn and Sonny Bill Williams, and being without Dan Carter and Richie McCaw for a while yet.

I can’t go past the Crusaders in this one, the Highlanders will put up a good fight at home but the class of the Crusaders should shine through in the end.

Reds v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Saturday 7.40pm (EDT)

The Reds got the their title defence off to a shaky start last week but managed to bring it home in the end, scoring a try after the siren to bury the Waratahs. They were adventurous but just could not manage to get their plays to click, the Waratahs defence was also strong.

The Western Force went down by 2 points to the Brumbies last weekend in Canberra and will head into this one down on confidence. Last season they were competitive in both matches against the Reds and they’ll need to improve considerably if they are to get anything out of this one.

The Reds are yet to hit top gear, understandable considering we are only 1 week into the competition. However, they will also need to pick up their game if they are to challenge again this season. They should have too much for the Western Force in this one though, if their attack clicks they could get a four try bonus point.

Cheetahs v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 2.05am (EDT)

In this all South African affair, the Cheetahs take on the Bulls following a narrow 2 point loss to the Lions in Round 1. Despite outscoring the Lions in terms of tries, they were ill disciplined and that cost them 9 penalty goals that match.

The Bulls managed a first up win over the Sharks, and although it was only narrow they showed enough to suggest they will be big improvers this season. They, like the Lions, didn’t score a try but had the boot of Morne Steyn to get them out of trouble.

I think the Bulls will be too strong for a Cheetahs side I think will finish at the bottom of the table. Nothing I saw last week has changed my mind on that one.

Stormers v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Newlands, Cape Town, Sunday 4.10am (EDT)

The Stormers head into this all South African affair on the back of a solid win over the Hurricanes in Round 1. They surprised me as although they finished 2nd on the ladder last season, they had a massive clear out and had a lot of rebuilding to do. However, I think once they get on the road we will see just what the Stormers are made of this season.

The Sharks head into this match after a narrow loss to the Bulls in Round 1. Despite losing they did manage to score the only try of the match which happened a number of times in the first week. They will not be put off by that first loss and will be hungry for this one which should be a cracker of a match.

The Stormers will be without captain Schalk Burger for the next month at least and will no doubt be a lesser team without him. I think they will go down to the Sharks in this one but only narrowly.

Super 15 Rugby Preview – sportsbanter.com.au Tips:

Chiefs v Blues – Blues
Rebels v Waratahs – Waratahs
Lions v Hurricanes – Hurricanes
Highlanders v Crusaders – Crusaders
Reds v Western Force – Reds
Cheetahs v Bulls - Bulls
Stormers v Sharks – Sharks

Super 15 Rugby Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Chiefs v Blues – Blues 1-12 @ $2.85
Rebels v Waratahs – Waratahs – 6.5 @ $1.90
Lions v Hurricanes – Hurricanes +2.5 @ $1.90
Highlanders v Crusaders – Crusaders @ $1.40
Reds v Western Force – Reds 13+ @ $1.97
Cheetahs v Bulls – Bulls -3.0 @ $1.90
Stormers v Sharks – Sharks +4.5 @ $1.90

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 1 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

It’s finally arrived, the much anticipated 2012 season of the Super 15 Rugby competition. Round 1 promises to be a beauty as well. National rivalries are at the core of the round 1 fixtures with the Blues and Crusaders getting things started on Friday night.

We preview each match below, and provide our tips and best bets for this weeks action. Be sure to check out our season previews for each conference as well!

Blues v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EDT)

First up we have an absolutely cracking match as the Blues and Crusaders from New Zealand lock horns. The Crusaders are always close to the top in this competition and this year will probably be no different, however the Blues could give them a real run for their money this season.

The Crusaders will be without Dan Carter and Richie McCaw for the first month or so of the Super Rugby season, this is a massive blow to them and will no doubt affect their early results. The Blues, they have recruited well in the off-season and I’ve tipped them to be close to the top come the end of the season. The likes of Piri Weepu and Ma’a Nonu from the Hurricanes will provide them with more speed and creativity. Although the Blues will be without Ma’a Nonu until later in March when he returns from Japan.

The Blues got the Crusaders by 2 points in the corresponding match last season, and I see this one going the same way in round 1.

Brumbies v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Friday 7.30pm (EDT)

The first match from the Australian conference kicks off on Friday night also, when the Brumbies host the Force at Canberra Stadium. Both sides will want to improve on last seasons disastrous form and will want to get the season off to a good start.

The Brumbies have been completely overhauled in the off-season after last season’s efforts. A new coach, a heap of new players and possibly a new attitude to go along with it. The Western Force have a new skipper in David Pocock, who takes over from Stirling Mortlock this season. The Force have a number of Wallabies in their squad compared to just 4 for the Brumbies. If the Brumbies get many injuries they could struggle this season.

The Brumbies may take a few weeks to get their new players gelled in so I think they might come out of the blocks slowly. For that reason I think the Force will get the points in a close one here.

Bulls v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Saturday 4.10am (EDT)

The Bulls finished 7th last year after winning 3 of the previous 4 Super Rugby competitions. They have shifted a lot of their ageing players and have also lost coaching director Heyneke Meyer. The Sharks just qualified for last years finals series and will be looking to improve on that this year in their hunt for their first Super Rugby title.

Despite the Bulls shedding a truck load of players and their coaching director, they have recruited well from other sides in the South African conference and still have the pedigree to do well in the competition. The Sharks have possibly regressed slightly since their 6th place finish last season. They lost some notable players in Stefan Terblanche and Ross and Guy Cronje to the Lions.

With this a home game for the Bulls, I think they can shake off the cobwebs from last season and get a win up over their Durban based rivals here.

Chiefs v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 5.30pm (EDT)

Another cracking match from the New Zealand conference with the Chiefs hosting the Highlanders. Both sides will have been disappointed with last seasons efforts and have made moves in the recruiting area to plug the gaps they felt needed plugging.

The Chiefs possibly picked up the signing of the season with Sonny Bill Williams coming across from the Crusaders for this season. They also picked up young half Aaron Cruden from the Hurricanes however some experienced backs have left the side over the off-season and it will be up to the youngsters to perform. The Highlanders haven’t really recruited much in the off-season apart from All Black Hosea Gear, and they have a number of injuries heading into this match from their 3 trial matches.

I think the Chiefs will be buoyed by their big name signings and have a lot to prove this season. The injuries to the Highlanders are too many to overlook so I think the Chiefs will draw first blood at home.

Waratahs v Reds – Super 15 Rugby Preview
ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Saturday 7.40pm (EDT)

A mouth watering clash between the Waratahs and Reds awaits us for this Saturday night. Last seasons Super Rugby champions up against the side that always promises so much but never delivers. This grudge match never fails to produce high quality entertainment and I can’t see this being any different.

The Reds head into this match without Quade Cooper but apart from this they can pretty much field a full strength side. The Waratahs on the other hand, they have injury problems already. Dan Vickerman is out, new captain Rocky Elsom won’t play for the few weeks, Lachie Turner is already out for the season and Drew Mitchell is also likely to miss the start of the season.

Despite the injuries to the Waratahs, I still think they will put up a good fight against the Reds and playing at home they should be able to come away with the points. Last season the Waratahs made the top 6 despite their injuries which shows they have depth in their squad.

Stormers v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Newlands, Cape Town, Sunday 2.05am (EDT)

The only inter-conference match for round 1 sees the Stormers host the Hurricanes early on Sunday morning. The Stormers performed above expectations last year, finishing the regular season in 2nd spot behind the Reds. They couldn’t go on with it though, going out in their first finals match to the Crusaders.

The Hurricanes will be looking to improve on last years 9th place finish, however that is going to be tough this season. They have lost experienced players in Andrew Hore, Piri Weepu and Hosea Gear and have not really recruited too well in the off-season. A massive clean-out of the squad could see them struggle this season.

The Stormers at home were unbeatable last year, and they have 4 of their first 5 games at home to set up their season. They should chalk up their first win here against the Hurricanes.

Lions v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 4.10am (EDT)

The last match of round 1 of the Super 15 Rugby competition sees the Lions host their South African neighbours the Cheetahs in Johannesburg. The Lions and Cheetahs will, in my opinion, be playing out this season for the wooden spoon.

The Lions have not had the best off-season and there are rumours that the playing group, coaches and administration are not seeing eye to eye. The Cheetahs, they’ve lost their main playmaker in Sarel Pretorius to the Waratahs which is a massive blow to their chances this season. He was one of the main reasons they played such entertaining rugby and will be sorely missed.

With this one a toss of the coin, I’m going to put my money on the home team, with the Lions to get the points here.

Super 15 Rugby Preview – sportsbanter.com.au Tips:

Blues v Crusaders – Blues
Brumbies v Force – Force
Bulls v Sharks – Bulls
Chiefs v Highlanders – Chiefs
Waratahs v Reds – Waratahs
Stormers v Hurricanes – Stormers
Lions v Cheetahs – Lions

Super 15 Rugby Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Blues v Crusaders – Blues -3.0 @ $1.90
Brumbies v Force – Force +3.5 @ $1.90
Bulls v Sharks – Bulls @ $1.75
Chiefs v Highlanders – Chiefs @ $1.42
Waratahs v Reds – Waratahs -3.0 @ $1.90
Stormers v Hurricanes – Stormers @ $1.20
Lions v Cheetahs - Lions @ $1.72

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: Rugby Union, super 15, super 15 rugby, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

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Blues v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 27 April, 5.35pm

Lions v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Saturday 28 April, 3.10am

Chiefs v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 28 April, 5.35pm

Force v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 28 April, 7.40pm

Cheetahs v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Free State Rugby Stadium, Sunday 29 April, 1.05am

Waratahs v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sunday 29 April, 4.10pm

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 10 Preview – Tips

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 10 Preview – Best Bets

Highlanders v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Forsythe Barr Stadium, Friday 20 April, 5.35pm

Reds v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Suncorp Stadium, Friday 20 April, 7.40pm

Hurricanes v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Westpac Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 5.35pm

Waratahs v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Allianz Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 7.40pm

Sharks v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 22 April, 1.05am

Bulls v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 22 April, 3.10am

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Sports Banter’s Tips:

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview - Banter’s Best Bets

Blues v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EST)

Force v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 9.10pm (EST)

Brumbies v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Canberra Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

Cheetahs v Chiefs - Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 1.05am (EST)

Lions v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 3.10am (EST)

Super 15 Rugby Round 8 – Sports Banter Tips:

Super 15 Rugby Round 8 – Best Bets:

Rebels v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview AAMI Park, Melbourne, Thursday 5 April, 7.40pm

Hurricanes v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 6 April, 5.35pm

Reds v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Friday 6 April, 7.40pm

Force v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 6 April, 9.40pm

Highlanders v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Forsythe Barr Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 5.35pm

Cheetahs v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Free State Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 11.00pm

Bulls v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 8 April, 1.00am

Sports Banter’s Tips – Super 15 Rugby Round 6

Banter’s Best Bets - Super 15 Rugby Round 6

Highlanders v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Rugby Park, Invercargill, Friday 30 March, 5.35pm

Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Saturday 31 March, 3.30pm

Chiefs v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 31 March, 5.35pm

Brumbies v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Saturday 31 March, 7.40pm

Force v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 31 March, 9.40pm

Lions v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 1 April, 2.05am

Stormers v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sunday 1 April, 3.05am

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Sports Banter’s Tips:

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Blues v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview Eden Park, Friday 23 March, 5.35pm

Rebels v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview AAMI Park, Friday 23 March, 7.40pm

Waratahs v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview Allianz Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 3.35pm

Crusaders v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview Rugby League Park, Saturday 24 march, 5.35pm

Brumbies v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby Preview Canberra Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 7.40pm

Bulls v Reds – Super 15 Rugby Preview Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 25 March, 2.05am

Lions v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby Preview Coca Cola Park, Sunday 25 March, 4.10am

Super 15 Rugby Preview - Sports Banter’s Tips:

Super 15 Rugby Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Chiefs v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Bay Park Stadium, Tauranga, Fri Mar 16, 5:35PM

Stormers v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sat Mar 17, 4:10AM

Hurricanes v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Sat Mar 17, 5:35PM

Waratahs v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sat Mar 17, 7:40PM

Sharks v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Mr Price Kings Park, Durban, Sun Mar 18, 2:05AM

Rebels v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview AAMI Park, Melbourne, Sun Mar 18, 4:10PM

sportsbanter.com.au Tips – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 3

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 3

Crusaders v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Christchurch Stadium, Friday 9 March, 5.35pm

Force v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium Perth, Friday 9 March, 10.05pm

Brumbies v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Canberra Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 3.35pm

Highlanders v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Forsyth Barr Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 5.35pm

Reds v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Suncorp Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 7.40pm

Sharks v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 11 March, 2.05am

Bulls v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 11 March, 4.10am

Super 15 Rugby 2012 - sportsbanter.com.au Tips

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Banter’s Best Bets

Chiefs v Blues – Super 15 Rugby Preview Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Friday 5.30pm (EDT)

Rebels v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview AAMI Park, Friday 7.40pm (EDT)

Lions v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Saturday 4.10am (EDT)

Highlanders v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby Preview Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday 5.30pm (EDT)

Reds v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Saturday 7.40pm (EDT)

Cheetahs v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby Preview Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 2.05am (EDT)

Stormers v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview Newlands, Cape Town, Sunday 4.10am (EDT)

Super 15 Rugby Preview – sportsbanter.com.au Tips:

Super 15 Rugby Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Blues v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby Preview Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EDT)

Brumbies v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Friday 7.30pm (EDT)

Blues v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 27 April, 5.35pm

Lions v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Saturday 28 April, 3.10am

Chiefs v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 28 April, 5.35pm

Force v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 28 April, 7.40pm

Cheetahs v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Free State Rugby Stadium, Sunday 29 April, 1.05am

Waratahs v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sunday 29 April, 4.10pm

Highlanders v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsythe Barr Stadium, Friday 20 April, 5.35pm

Reds v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Friday 20 April, 7.40pm

Hurricanes v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 5.35pm

Waratahs v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 7.40pm

Sharks v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 22 April, 1.05am

Bulls v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 22 April, 3.10am

Blues v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EST)

Force v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 9.10pm (EST)

Brumbies v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

Cheetahs v Chiefs - Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 1.05am (EST)

Lions v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 3.10am (EST)

Rebels v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Thursday 5 April, 7.40pm

Hurricanes v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 6 April, 5.35pm

Reds v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Friday 6 April, 7.40pm

Force v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 6 April, 9.40pm

Highlanders v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsythe Barr Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 5.35pm

Cheetahs v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Free State Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 11.00pm

Bulls v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 8 April, 1.00am

Highlanders v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Rugby Park, Invercargill, Friday 30 March, 5.35pm

Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Saturday 31 March, 3.30pm

Chiefs v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 31 March, 5.35pm

Brumbies v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Saturday 31 March, 7.40pm

Force v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 31 March, 9.40pm

Lions v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 1 April, 2.05am

Stormers v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sunday 1 April, 3.05am

Blues v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Eden Park, Friday 23 March, 5.35pm

Rebels v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview
AAMI Park, Friday 23 March, 7.40pm

Waratahs v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 3.35pm

Crusaders v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Rugby League Park, Saturday 24 march, 5.35pm

Brumbies v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 7.40pm

Bulls v Reds – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 25 March, 2.05am

Lions v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Coca Cola Park, Sunday 25 March, 4.10am

Chiefs v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Bay Park Stadium, Tauranga, Fri Mar 16, 5:35PM

Stormers v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sat Mar 17, 4:10AM

Hurricanes v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Sat Mar 17, 5:35PM

Waratahs v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sat Mar 17, 7:40PM

Sharks v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban, Sun Mar 18, 2:05AM

Rebels v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Sun Mar 18, 4:10PM

Crusaders v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Christchurch Stadium, Friday 9 March, 5.35pm

Force v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium Perth, Friday 9 March, 10.05pm

Brumbies v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 3.35pm

Highlanders v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 5.35pm

Reds v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Saturday 10 March, 7.40pm

Sharks v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 11 March, 2.05am

Bulls v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 11 March, 4.10am

Chiefs v Blues – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Friday 5.30pm (EDT)

Rebels v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview
AAMI Park, Friday 7.40pm (EDT)

Lions v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Saturday 4.10am (EDT)

Highlanders v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday 5.30pm (EDT)

Reds v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Saturday 7.40pm (EDT)

Cheetahs v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 2.05am (EDT)

Stormers v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Newlands, Cape Town, Sunday 4.10am (EDT)

Blues v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EDT)

Brumbies v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Friday 7.30pm (EDT)

Bulls v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Saturday 4.10am (EDT)

Chiefs v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 5.30pm (EDT)

Waratahs v Reds – Super 15 Rugby Preview
ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Saturday 7.40pm (EDT)

Stormers v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Newlands, Cape Town, Sunday 2.05am (EDT)

Lions v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 4.10am (EDT)