2016 Super Rugby Round 8 Betting Tips
The 2016 Super Rugby season continues this weekend and we take a look at the biggest matches of round 8 and offer our preview and betting tips.
Rebels vs Hurricanes (Friday 7.45pm AEDT)
The Rebels have had a great start to the season and have won four of their six matches including their latest victory against the Waratahs. It was the first time the side has won against the Tahs in Sydney and it is a big confidence booster for the side moving forward. They are currently playing at the highest level since joining the competition and they will be looking to continue their great start on home soil this weekend.
However, they are taking on a side that reached the Grand Final last year and are beginning to find their feet after a slow start to the season. Four straight victories has the side back in a good position and their most destructive player had his best game of the season last week as he crossed for a double and was involved in a lot of their attack. The Hurricanes have won three of the four meetings between these two sides and the New Zealand teams have found a way to win this season and we are expecting the Hurricanes to earn a narrow victory in this one.
TIP: Hurricanes 1-12 @ $2.70 with William Hill
Waratahs vs Brumbies (Saturday 7.45pm AEDT)
The Waratahs and Brumbies are both going to be fresh for this contest as they are coming off a bye. However, the Brumbies will be without their superstar David Pocock has he has been hit with a three-week suspension. The flanker always makes an impact on the match and is a real leader for the side and he will be greatly missed. It gives the Waratahs a massive advantage as they will have Michael Hooper at the breakdowns and likely to earn a couple of turnovers for his side.
Meanwhile the Waratahs are likely to have Kurtley Beale back on the field which will mean we finally see the move of Israel Folau to outside centre as Beale will take his place at fullback. It gives Folau an opportunity to get his hands on the ball more often, which is always going to be beneficial for a side he is playing it. It also gives Beale the opportunity to roam the backline and get involved when he sees an opportunity as he generally struggles when he has to be a full playmaker and steer his team around the park.
Whilst the Brumbies were able to earn a victory earlier in the season against the Waratahs in a dominant performances, losing Pocock will hurt the side more than losing any other player. They also have a poor record in Sydney against the Waratahs as they have just one win from 10 meetings at the venue. On the back of this the Waratahs will come out on top and get their season back on track.
TIP: Waratahs @ $2.18 with Ladbrokes
Bulls vs Reds (Sunday 1.05am AEDT)
The Reds picked up their first win of the season last week as they pulled together a superb performance to defeat the defending champions. Since they appointed the new co-pairing of the two coaches the Reds had improved drastically each week and with Wallaby James Slipper returning to the side they were due for a good result, however no one expected them to defeat the Highlanders. Liam Gill took his game to another level at flanker and was always searching for the ball at the breakdown to either slow the ball down for the Highlanders or earn a turnover for his side. However, the biggest impact came from Samu Kerevi as he had his best performance in a Reds outfit as he had a hand in setting up a try for his team mate whilst he crossed the line himself.
Unfortunately for the Reds they are coming up against the Bulls at a venue where they have won just once in 8 meetings. It will be a tough ask for them as the Bulls are on a 4 game winning streak since losing their opening match. Their attack has slowly improved as they are becoming less reliant on kicking penalty goals. The Bulls attack will be too strong for the Reds to hold out for 80-minutes as they will fall by a double-digit margin.
TIP: Bulls -8.5 @ $1.90 with Sportsbet
