11 April 2019, by: Quintin van Jaarsveld

SUPER RUGBY PREDICTIONS – ROUND 9

The Stormers will look to finish their torrid tour on a positive note when they meet the Melbourne Rebels on Friday morning.

The men from the Cape are the first South African team in action in Round Nine of Super Rugby. Prior to the Melbourne match-up, the Crusaders and Highlanders will kick-off the round in the only other Friday fixture.

The Chiefs and Blues will battle it out in another New Zealand derby to get Saturday’s proceedings underway before the focus falls squarely on the South African Conference.

The Lions start their overseas leg of the tournament against the Brumbies, the Sharks welcome the Jaguares to Kings Park and the Bulls tackle the Reds at Loftus Versfeld.

The Crusaders are rolling once again having recorded two big wins (32-8 and 36-14 against the Hurricanes and Brumbies respectively) after their shock loss to the Waratahs, while the Highlanders pushed the ‘Canes close but fell to their fourth loss last weekend. Add in the fact that the log leaders are at home and the margin’s the only thing in question.

Prediction: Crusaders by 15. (Suggested BET – Crusaders by 13+)

The loss of captain Siya Kolisi, who’s being rested as per Springbok protocol, will make it that much more difficult for the Stormers to head home from Melbourne with a win. It’s been a long, disastrous tour for the Capetonians; they’ve taken just a solitary point from their three defeats and lost key players to injuries in the process.

The tired and disjointed team at the foot of the South African Conference will be welcomed by the team on top of the Australian Conference and second overall. They smashed the Sunwolves 42-15 last weekend and have much more strike power that the Reds who saw off the Stormers relatively comfortably.

Prediction: Rebels by 14. (Suggested BET – Rebels -10.5)

Two teams who’ve turned their seasons around after dreadful starts going head-to-head will make for a compelling clash. The Blues have been on an absolute tear, winning four on the trot to climb all the way up from 15th to fifth, while the Chiefs are still in lowly 13th but have won their last two and drew the one before that. That it’s the first meeting between the teams makes it even trickier to call. I’m siding with the home side.

Prediction: Chiefs by 1. (Suggested BET – Chiefs Win)

That the Brumbies have home ground advantage is the only reason why the Lions aren’t overwhelming favourites. Both teams were thumped last weekend, the Brumbies 36-14 by the Crusaders and the Lions 42-5 by the Sharks. Even after their home hammering, and the trip to Canberra, the Lions – lying seventh – are the better team, with the Brumbies only barely above the Sunwolves in 14th place with just two wins.

Prediction: Lions by 5. (Suggested BET –  Lions Win)

A tweaked Bulls team who never got out of first gear almost beat the Argentinians last weekend, denied only by a comeback created by two yellow cards. That will give the Sharks plenty of confidence at home, where they’ve been particularly vulnerable this season, winning two and losing two.

The Durbanites are coming off a sensational win over the Lions, by far their best performance of the season, and will be determined to hang on to their newly-earned place at the summit of the South African Conference. Their inconsistency is a concern, however, the hosts’ strong, mobile pack and dangerous backs should see them win comfortably.

Prediction: Sharks by 10. (Suggested BET – Sharks -7.5)

After last weekend’s implosion, a sense of order has been restored in the Bulls camp with Handre Pollard and Jesse Kriel back after being rested against the Jaguares. The Argentinians’ upset will give Brisbane’s Reds belief that they can do the same, but they’ll face a different Bulls team altogether, one bolstered by six returning Boks and motivated to make up for last weekend’s slip-up. The Reds’ home win over the Stormers last win was just their third in seven matches and the Bulls should breeze past the young visitors.

Prediction: Bulls by 18. (Suggested BET – Bulls -13.5)

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Quintin van Jaarsveld

Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.