Super Rugby Pacific 2024: Round 1 Predictions

Hutch | Commercial Director

Wed 21 Feb 2024

The new season of Super Rugby is always exciting, although making Superbru picks is notoriously difficult. I quite fancy a GSP in Round 1, but it could equally go up in smoke in the first match.

Here are my Super Rugby predictions for Round 1.

Chiefs v Crusaders: Chiefs by 4

Rebels v Brumbies: Brumbies by 13

Force v Hurricanes: Hurricanes by 18

Blues v Fijian Drua: Blues by 21

Highlanders v Moana Pasifika: Highlanders by 13

Reds v Waratahs: Reds by 8

The first and last matches look the hardest to pick, but I'm going with home advantage in both. The Crusaders tend to start slowly, so I'm backing the Chiefs, and I think the Reds could be relatively strong this season.

How do these compare to your own picks? Let me know any good pools to join!

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Jersey-puller

36,816 caps

New Budget Cap era for Super Rugby! I 've actually ended up with $1,000,000 to spare. Can this be redeemed for official SB merchandise Hutch?!

Anyway, the trickiest part was working out who is most likely to kick. Its a nightmare. McKenzie is so expensive at $9M and faces a THE GREATEST TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF SUPER RUGBY but at least I know he is bound to take all the kicks. I've also found that in tighter games Capt's turn down fewer shots at goal, rather than kick for the corner.

I was going to pick Gilbert (no wind indoors apart from Speight's induced lager farts) but like MANY backs he does not start where SB have banded him. The Blouse have two kickers in Perofeta, Back 3 but wears 10, while Plummer is a 10 but wears 12. Carter Gordon was looking a cheaper option at $6M but The Rebels?. Hurricanes have Cameron & Barrett J??

21 Feb 18:56

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Jersey-puller

36,816 caps

Thanks Cliff for taking the time to write down what many of us have been cogitating on since the teams were announced, very early I might add compared to URC etc. Yes Gilbert is SO good even at 2nd 5 Eighth (No 12) as we still say in NZ, that he could be worth a punt against the team with the fewest resources, Moana Pasifika.

I've come unstuck fixating on filling the usually fruitful Outside Backs 3 spots. In really one-sided games the ball won't need to make it all the way out to the wings, the centres do the job themselves. Heck, in some matches the forwards keep it amongst themselves without even the halfback being required! But yes DMac kind of chooses himself on this occasion due to the various 'Opportunity Cost, Opportunity Lost' scenarios of the quirky SB bandings.

Cheers J-P 22 Feb 13:46

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The Professor

77,598 caps

I've opted back 3 as Talea, Stevenson and Nareki from highlanders who should blow away MP 22 Feb 22:58

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Jersey-puller

36,816 caps

Ahem....The Highlanders host The B-Lose next round! That put me off having too many Otago guys. They are also rebuilding after losing Smith & Frizell & others. Whereas Auckland seem to have poached talent from The Chiefs & others. Some odd imports, Patchell was actually an initial No. 10 pick but $6M is too much if Gilbert still kicks. And what about Halfpenny signing for the Crusaders (my team) ?! It reminded me of my shouted comment from Twickenham years ago when the Baa Baas beat the All Blacks thanks to a Habana Hat-Trick! He was subbed late on, when they announced "Substitution for the Barbarians, Bryan Habana to be replaced by Leigh Halfpenny." ... to which this drunken Kiwi retorted "WE'VE BEEN SHORT-CHANGED!!" 22 Feb 23:01

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