2016 Super Rugby Grand Final Betting Tips
The 2016 Super Rugby season has reached its pinnacle with the Hurricanes hosting the Lions in the Grand Final. Continue reading for our Super Rugby Grand Final Preview and Betting Tips.
Hurricanes vs Lions (Saturday 5.35pm AEST)
These two sides finished in first and second on the ladder and have had the benefit of playing on home soil throughout the finals series. However, a decision by Lions coach Johan Ackermann to rest his starting 15 players for the final regular season game resulted in his side losing the match against the Jaguares and handing the top spot on the ladder to the Hurricanes. This will force his team to play in its first ever Grand Final on the road at a Westpac stadium where they have lost all six of their meetings against the Hurricanes.
The home field advantage gives the Hurricanes a massive advantage and the bookmakers have them as short priced favourites to claim the Super Rugby title. The Hurricanes will have a lot of determination to get the job done as they lost in the Grand Final last year to the Highlanders, despite being the overwhelming favourites and playing on home soil. To lose two Grand Finals in a row on home soil will be embarrassing for the club and incredibly disappointing for fans.
The Hurricanes and Lions both have skilful players in their back lines with a lot of their attack starting with their fly halfs. The Lions Elton Jantjes leads the competition in try assists and line break assists and he showed last week he wouldn’t be overcome by the situation as he produced two line breaks, a line break assists and three try assists in his sides win over the Highlanders. However, it will be a different and more difficult task to have a similar performance on the road. Meanwhile the Canes fly half Beauden Barrett was just as instrumental in his side’s victory as he took an intercept pass and ran the length to cross for a try that swung the momentum the way of the Hurricanes before he completed a chip and chase that resulted in Willis Halaholo scoring.
If the Lions are to manage an upset it will be on the back of their superb forward pack. They have arguably the best in the competition and have the ability of turning the ball over at the set piece whilst they rarely do themselves. Malcolm Marx converted all of his line out throws on the weekend whilst he was a massive contributor to the side earning three penalties at the scrum. However, the Hurricanes forward pack is nothing to be laughed at as they have one of the most inform forwards in the competition in Ardie Savea. The Canes flanker put together a huge performance in attack and defence and he will be a handful whilst Victor Vito will be looking for a fairy tale finish to his Hurricanes career, as he will play his 100th and final match.
Despite a lot of turn over of players from the Hurricanes, they have managed to make their second straight Grand Final. The players that remain won’t want to lose the biggest game of the careers on home soil yet again. Taking into account the Lions have never been able to get the job done against the Hurricanes in New Zealand, we are predicting a close victory for the Canes.
