How was your tipping in round one? With a host of upsets in the opening round of this year’s Super Rugby competition, many journalists have made some broad sweeping and far reaching prediction’s for the rest of the year.
There’s only been one round played, it’s a bit early to be calling it. Especially when many of the New Zealand and South African teams are resting stars.
Chiefs V Brumbies
The Chiefs are bringing back their stars, and the Brumbies have lost David Pocock, yet again, to injury. Fortunately it’s his ankle, not his knee on this occasion, and he will be back in 4-6 weeks.
Returning for the Chiefs are All Blacks forwards Brodie Retallick and Liam Messam, while flyhalf Aaron Cruden will rekindle his partnership with superstar Sonny Bill Williams. Remarkably, these two teams were the only ones who finished in the top five last year to kick off 2015 with 
a win.
Prediction
Sure, the Brumbies destroyed the Reds last week, but that was on the back of the work of Pocock, who almost single-handedly starved the Reds of possession. This week with Cruden back to partner with SBW, as well as the match being played at New Plymouth, it makes it impossible to go past the Chiefs. Chiefs by 6.
CHIEFS: James Lowe, Bryce Heem, Charlie Ngatai, Sonny Bill Williams, Hosea Gear, Aaron Cruden, Brad Weber; Maama Vaipulu, Sam Cane, Liam Messam (capt), Michael Fitzgerald, Matt Symons, Siate Tokolahi, Hika Elliot, Jamie Mackintosh.
Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Pauliasi Manu, Ben Tameifuna, Brodie Retallick, Tevita Koloamatangi, Augustine Pulu, Damian McKenzie, Seta Tamanivalu.
BRUMBIES: Robbie Coleman, Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Joseph Tomane, Matt Toomua, Nic White, Ita Vaea, Jarrad Butler, Scott Fardy, Rory Arnold, Sam Carter, Ben Alexander, Josh Mann-Rea, Scott Sio.
Reserves: Stephen Moore, Jean-Pierre Smith, Ruan Smith, Jordan Smiler, Sean Doyle, Michael Dowsett, James Dargaville, Lausii Taliauli.
Rebels V Waratahs
Some interesting stats in the lead-up to this match. The Waratahs have never started a season with two losses, and the Rebels have never started with two wins. The key to this match is the back-row, with the Rebels loose three putting in a high quality performance against the Crusaders and the Waratahs’ counterparts well below par against the Force, only managing one turn over in the 80 minutes.
The ‘Tahs won’t be helped by the loss of Wallaby Cliff Palu with a knee injury. 
Melbourne are missing suspended halfback Nic Stirzaker but have a very capable substitute in Luke Burgess. The Tahs match up well against the Rebels and surely couldn’t play as badly as they did against the Force.
Prediction
The Rebels will be coming into this match full of confidence after their amazing performance against the Crusaders, and the Waratahs will have a point to prove after failing against the Force.
The odds at most betting agencies have the ‘Tahs, playing at home a strong favourite, but I think it’ll be a lot closer than that suggests. Waratahs by 3.
REBELS: Mike Harris, Dom Shipperley, Tamati Ellison, Mitch Inman, Tom English, Jack Debreczeni, Luke Burgess (capt), Scott Higginbotham, Colby Fainga’a, Sean McMahon, Lopeti Timani, Luke Jones, Laurie Weeks, Pat Leafa, Toby Smith.
Reserves: Ben Whittaker, Cruze Ah-Nau, Paul Alo-Emile, Sam Jeffries, Scott Fuglistaller, Ben Meehan, Bryce Hegarty, Sefanaia Naivalu
WARATAHS: Israel Folau, Taqele Naiyaravaro, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Rob Horne, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Stephen Hoiles, Michael Hooper, Jaques Potgieter, Will Skelton, David Dennis (capt), Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson.
Reserves: Tolu Latu, Jeremy Tilse, Paddy Ryan, Sam Lousi, Mitchell Chapman, Brendan McKibbin, Matt Carraro, Pat McCutcheon, Peter Betham.
Bulls v Hurricanes
The Bulls fell way short of the lofty expectations many were expecting from them in their loss to the Stormers last week. The Hurricanes on the otherhand showed that the hapless Lions look destined for another cellar dweller season by beating them in Johannesburg.
Pierre Spies comes into the Bulls lineup as captain after replacing injured No.8 Arno Botha. Meanwhile, All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu will make his first return appearance for the Hurricanes at the expense of Rey Lee-Lo. Flanker Callum Gibbins will also make his first start for the ‘Canes ahead of much-touted youngster Ardie Savea.
Prediction
The ‘Canes can go from hot to cold at a moments notice, and playing against a higher quality team this week in the shape of the Bulls, we can expect a much closer contest.
I think the Bulls will bounce back from last weeks results to put in a much beef-ier performance. Bulls by 4.
BULLS: Jesse Kriel, Bjorn Basson, JJ Engelbrecht, Jan Serfontein, Francois Hougaard, Handre Pollard, Piet van Zyl, Pierre Spies (capt), Lappies Labuschagne, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield, Jacques du Plessis, Trevor Nyakane, Adriaan Strauss, Morne Mellett. 
Reserves: Callie Visagie, Dean Greyling, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Grant Hattingh, Hanro Liebenberg, Rudy Paige, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jurgen Visser.
HURRICANES: Jason Woodward, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith (capt), Ma’a Nonu, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Blade Thomson, Callum Gibbins, Brad Shields, James Broadhurst, Mark Abbott, Ben Franks, Dane Coles, Reggie Goodes.
Reserves: Brayden Mitchell, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Chris Eves, Ardie Savea, Victor Vito, Chris Smylie, James Marshall, Matt Proctor
Happy Tipping.