Rainbow Cup & Super Tugby Trans-Tasman – 2021-06-03

Our punter Neal Hoogwerf is back this weekend and has his eyes set on a full house. We preview every match from Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and the Rainbow Cup.

Reds v Blues

Friday 4 June – 11:45

The Reds head into their final home fixture of the season having earned the Australian sides their first victory of the Trans-Tasman tournament in Townsville last week. History doesn’t favour the visitors with the Blues having failed to record a victory in Brisbane in 10 years. The Blues continued their march in the competition after they dispatched an awful Brumbies side by 28 points.

It’s difficult to suggest that the Reds will have enough to sneak an upset victory against the in-form Blues, however, I strongly fancy their chances to keep it close. The Blues are traditionally weak on the road, having only covered 3 of their last 11 fixtures as favourites. I’ll be taking the Reds to have one last hoorah on their home turf.

Bulls v Stormers

Friday 4 June – 19:00

The Bulls return from a week’s rest after succumbing to a late Lions penalty to record their first defeat in the Rainbow Cup. In what was a shock result, the Bulls will be determined to maintain their flawless home record when they host the North-South derby this weekend.

The Stormers continued their recent resurgence as they edged out the Sharks in Durban in Round 3. The Cape outfit have an opportunity to top the standings if they manage to get full value on the road this weekend. Loftus hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the coastal side, with the Stormers failing to win in their last 5 visits.

A corner has been turned for John Dobson’s men and they will be boosted by the continuity in selection and the return to form of their Springbok forwards. I expect the Stormers to push the Bulls all the way and I’ll be happy to side with the Stormers to cover the spread.

Highlanders v Waratahs

Saturday 5 June – 09:05

The Highlanders return from their Australian tour having recorded 2 comprehensive victories against the Force and the Rebels. With bonus points of paramount importance in the run-up to the final, the Highlanders will be targeting a full house in Forsyth Barr this weekend.

The Waratahs, still winless in 2021, have managed to string a few entertaining performances against the odds. They have been consistently overlooked against the spread, having covered the handicap in 6 of their last 7 fixtures.

The Highlanders don’t have a great record in Dunedin having only covered the handicap in 6 of their last 20 fixtures at the stadium. Couple that with the resting of influential All Blacks in Frizell and Smith, I can’t see them covering this generous line. The Waratahs will have enough to stay within the cap and I’ll be making this my most confident play of the weekend.

Lions v Sharks

Saturday 5 June – 16:00

The Lions finally recorded their first victory of the campaign after upsetting tournament front runners in Johannesburg a fortnight ago. The Lions have often produced worthy performances but have struggled to close out the final result. The Sharks head on the road after a disappointing last 2 fixtures. Consistency has been hard to come by for Sean Everitt’s troops, however, he will be thrilled to welcome back World Cup winner Makazole Mapimpi from his stint in Japan.

The Sharks have traditionally performed well against the Lions having only recorded 2 defeats in their last 10 fixtures. The Sharks will be desperate to get their campaign back on track and I can’t see any other result than the visitors taking the points. Bet on the Sharks to beat the Lions.