*Super Rugby Week Nine Results and Video Highlights*
The Crusaders have wrapped up the title with one week left. The Blues v Crusaders match next weekend will end the season with a grudge match that neither side will want to lose.
In the Pundit competition, both MarkB and ClayP picked up bonus points for guessing +13 Hurricanes win and +10 Blues win respectively. AaronT was close to getting the first double BP with his 32-18 (+14) Hurricanes prediction but was off by one.
Hurricanes 31 – Chiefs 18
Umaga-Jensen scored two first half tries to put the Hurricanes up 12-3 at the half. The Chiefs scored first in the second half to close the gap to 12-10.
A Dane Coles try and a Mackenzie penalty brought the score to 17-13. The teams exchanged tries for a 24-18 score with less than 10 minutes left. A couple of players from the reserves bench teamed up to score the BP try for the Hurricanes for a 31-18 final.
Even though the Crusaders have locked up the #1 spot, the Hurricanes and the Blues are still battling it out for second. The Hurricanes visit the Highlanders to finish out the season.
Crusaders 32 – Highlanders 22
The Crusaders had to rely on a second half comeback to win this one. The Highlanders struck in the first minute after they turned the ball over inside the Crusaders 22 and blindside flanker Frizell crossed the line. The Crusaders answered back with a highlight reel try from within their own half, 7-7-.
The Highlanders would stay ahead with a penalty and an intercept try, 17-7 at 25 minutes, and the home town victory wasn’t looking so assured. The Crusaders chipped away at the lead with two penalties and the teams went into the half 17-13 for the Highlanders.
It looked like the Crusaders would start their second half comeback early when #9 Bryn Hall had a clear run to the goal line but he was stripped from behind before touching down and was replaced immediately after. The Highlanders made them pay by widening the gap to 22-13 at the 53 minute mark and you could hear the cheers all the way from Auckland. That cheering quickly ended as the Crusaders scored two tries in two minutes at 61′ and 63′ to take their first lead and the momentum had swung. The final dagger was applied at 74′ with another try and that was the match and the championship.
The Blues v Crusaders match next weekend will be a chance of redemption for the Blues and their fans but how motivated will the Crusaders be after wrapping up the title?
Standings
The Pundits records after Week 9.
There’s End of Season points to be added as described in the Week 1 article, +2 for predicting the eventual winner and +1 for predicting the correct placement of the other teams. Three of the four pundits correctly predicted the Crusaders to finish top, no one predicted Chiefs for last, and no one predicted Highlanders for 4th. There’s still some points on offer for the final placement of the Hurricanes and Blues. In the event of a tie on points the first tie breaker will be prediction percentage during the season, 2nd tie breaker will be End of Season (ES) points.
ClayP 13-5 +1BP = 14pts 72%
MarkB 13-5 +1BP = 14pts 72%
AaronT 12-6 = 12pts 67%
AaronF 7-11 +2BP = 9pts 39%
*Super Rugby Aotearoa Week 9 – Chiefs @ Hurricanes and Highlanders @ Crusaders: Our Panel Make Their Predictions*
Week 9 of the 10 week competition gets going this weekend. The Crusaders can wrap it up at home with a win over the Highlanders which would then leave the Hurricanes and Blues to jostle for 2nd spot in the competition.
Among the Pundits, AaronF again is going for the double upset looking to get back in the race, it’s all or nothing for him this week. Everyone else has gone for the favourites, AaronT and MarkB have independently come up with the exact same scoreline in the Crusaders v Highlanders match, a bit of an anomaly in the quantum multiverse.
Previous results and predictions:
Week 1 predictions and results here.
Week 2 predictions and results here.
Week 3 predictions and results here.
Week 4 predictions and results here.
Week 5 predictions and results here.
Week 6 predictions and results here.
Week 7 predictions and results here.
Week 8 predictions and results here.
The Pundits records after Week 8.
ClayP 11-5 = 11pts 69%
MarkB 11-5 = 11pts 69%
AaronT 10-6 =10pts 63%
AaronF 7-9 +2BP = 9pts 44%
ROSTERS (click on image to expand)
Chiefs
Hurricanes
Highlanders
Crusaders
AaronF Picks
Chiefs @ Hurricanes – Chiefs to win 31-24 (+7)
The Chiefs do not go winless in this competition!
Highlanders @ Crusaders – Highlanders to win 19-18 (+1)
The Highlanders have got to shock the world to keep this competition alive and to give me a chance of winning this bloody competition too. We want to see the two most hated teams in NZ square off at Eden Park for a Super Rugby final next weekend and the southern men will make this happen. They got rid of the train wreck ginger on the wing and Aaron Smith will be tripping over every offside player on the field this week, guiding his men to victory. I reckon even the Crusaders fans want to see the Highlanders win this week so they get to see Razor Robinson break dancing on Eden Park.
AaronT Picks
Chiefs @ Hurricanes – Hurricanes to win 32-18 (+14)
The Chiefs have one last chance to pick up a win in the competition before they watch the final round with a bye. I can’t see it happening in Wellington against a team who have found their form and need a bonus-point win to stay in the hunt. In their last 10 meetings the Hurricanes have won 5, Chiefs 4 and one draw in 2019. You have to go back to 2017 to find the last time the Chiefs won in Wellington. Coming off a huge win away against the Crusaders, the Hurricanes will be looking to make it 5 wins in a row in the league. Another home win for me, I cant see the Chiefs creating an upset here. Hurricanes to win by 14.
Highlanders @ Crusaders – Crusaders to win 34-18 (+16)
First versus fourth in this game and the Crusaders have beaten the Highlanders 7 times in their last 10 encounters. Last time out the Crusaders won by 20. The Crusaders are at home, where I am sure they want to put the loss last time out to rest and get back to their winning ways. The Crusaders have won their last four against the Highlanders by an average of 23 points. Home win for me but a little less than the recent average, this is a much improved Highlanders team. Crusaders to win by 16.
MarkB Picks
Chiefs @ Hurricanes – Hurricanes to win 34-21 (+13)
The Chiefs don’t have anything to lose so they’re putting two new caps on the bench. Only two of the tight five retain their starting spots as they rotate the bench. One change in the loose forwards with Luke Jacobsen getting the start at blindside. Veteran Aaron Cruden is replaced with Kaleb Trask at #10, the rest of the backline remains unchanged. For the Hurricanes, they’re coming off a bye week, teams coming off a bye week are 2-5 now. They have their A team back in the front row with Ben May and Dane Coles returning. The rest of the forward pack remains unchanged from 2 weeks ago. The Hurricanes are missing Laumape in the centres, the on form centre picked up an injury in their last match, Vince Aso takes his place. Also veteran Ben Lam is not at his usual spot on the wing, replaced by Kobus Van Wyk who is heading to Leicester at the end of the season. The Hurricanes are the only team to beat the Crusaders, they beat the Crusaders in intensity and if they can match that at home they should stay in the race for a top 2 spot. They put 34 on the Crusaders and should be able to do the same against the winless Chiefs.
Highlanders @ Crusaders – Crusaders to win 34-18 (+16)
The Highlanders were picked by many to finish bottom of the ladder before the season started but it looks like the Chiefs will have that dubious honour. One change in the front row as Siate Tokolahi gets the start at tighthead. The rest of the forward pack remains unchanged from their loss to the Blues last week. The halfback pairing of Smith and Ioane remains the same as does the backline with the exception of winger Scott Gregory getting replaced by Jona Nareki. Interesting that the Highlanders only have a scrum half and winger as replacement backs and have loose forward Jesse Parete at #23, a position usually reserved for a backline player. The Crusaders can wrap up the competition with a win this week. Veteran Joe Moody comes back in at loosehead after enjoying a week’s rest, and Quinten Strange pairs up with Sam Whitelock in the second row. Whetukamokamo Douglas returns at #8 after getting a rest last week. Bryn Hall is rotated back into the starting #9 role and Braydon Ennor is back at outside centre. On the bench the Crusaders have the luxury of bringing on veteran All Black Luke Romano. It looks like a lineup that says the Crusaders want to wrap up the competition at home this week. Highlanders gave up 32 points to the Blues last week, it could be more this week.
ClayP Picks
Chiefs @ Hurricanes – Hurricanes to win 36-28 (+8)
Chiefs are a fractured unit this year. Hurricanes are the form team of the second round. Umanga-Jensen is causing havoc in mid field and no team has been able to truly contain him as of late.
Highlanders @ Crusaders – Crusaders to win 31-21 (+10)
The Crusaders will have a grand final mentality and will be too much for the passionate Highlanders. Blues and their supporters will be hoping for an upset but I just cannot see it happening despite my loyalty to the boys from the North.