Super 14 & Guinness Premiership tips

It was a good start to the season for us in the Super 14 with our back of points in the Stormers vs Reds match coming in as the Stormers won 27-24 in a thrilling contest.

Super 14

The Super 14 started again last week and I watched all the highlights intending to start picking some games. Home fixtures have a huge advantage in this competition – not surprising considering it involves three different countries – South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

The first two games to be televised on Sky Sports kick off on Friday at 5pm. They are the Stormers vs Reds and Cape Town vs Queensland. Stormers lost last week to the very good Sharks while The Reds lost to the powerful Bulls.

Stormers should win at home but I also like a back of points. 47 1/2 is a high mark so it will be a small back at overs and because Stormers are so short at 1/5 I would rather trade against them hoping for a start by Reds than back them straight out.

So;

1. Small back of points

2. If I watch then trade against Stormers for a trading position

3. If I do not watch then nothing

Guinness Premiership

A break in the Six Nations program this weekend and a return to the nuts and bolts of club rugby.

Saturday’s TV game is on Sky Sports at 2.30pm with Harlequins vs Gloucester.

On paper this should be superb. Quins under Dean Richards have improved dramatically and Gloucester have stuttered but both are still prime teams in the league and could provide a real arm-wrestling contest.

I would not like to pick an absolute winner from here – especially as neither team has been announced but I will watch the fact that Gloucester are stronger at home and are still recovering from their mid season slump.

This is a simple trader for me. The bookies have both near parity and so I will hold no opinion and just lay any side that gets to around 1.6.

That is so that we can later trade it back.