We are into Round 3 of Super Rugby Unlocked and we are excited for this week, especially after landing three in three tips last week. We hope you followed them and were successful.
The weekend begins with the Pumas hosting the Stormers on Friday night. On Saturday, things really heat up with the Lions v Cheetahs and then another huge clash between the Bulls and Sharks.
Below, we provide yet more tips and predictions for Super Rugby Unlocked Round 3.
Pumas v Stormers (Friday – 19:00)
The Pumas enter Round 3 of Super Rugby Unlocked after turning over the Griquas on the road in Kimberley. That marks the second consecutive handicap that the Pumas have beaten after being handed a 10 point head start. It will be the first home fixture of the season for the men from Nelspruit as they sit fifth in the standings with four matches to play.
The Stormers concluded their opening fixture of the campaign with a nervy 23-17 victory over the Lions at Newlands. It was far from convincing for the Cape Town outfit as they battled back from a 6-10 deficit at the break to grind out a victory. Coach John Dobson expressed his displeasure regarding the performance and I predict a much improved display on Friday night.
Notable absentees for the Stormers include loose-head Steven Kitshoff and reserve hooker Scarra Ntubeni due to Covid-19 protocols. The recent history between these sides sees the Stormers covering the handicap in three of the last four fixtures and I’m expecting a dominant performance from the coastal side as they pursue a bonus point.
Lions v Cheetahs (Saturday – 16:30)
The Lions will be seeking their first victory of the season after succumbing to a six point loss against the Stormers in Round 2. Although they have begun the tournament with two losses, they have covered both spreads in their opening two fixtures. The Lions will be looking to turn their fortunes around as they head into a spree of four home fixtures.
The Cheetahs maintained their perfect start to the season after edging out the Bulls 19-17 in Bloemfontein. It was a real statement of intent from the Cheetahs as they proved that they are title contenders in edging 4 points clear at the summit of the table. The Cheetahs face a tricky three fixtures on the road against the Lions, Sharks and Stormers. Injury news emerged as they will be without mercurial captain Ruan Pienaar as he suffered an MCL injury over the weekend.
Having a glance at the history between these two sides doesn’t bode well for the men from Bloemfontein. They have lost their last nine of the 10 fixtures being played with their solitary win coming in 2017. This is a tricky match to call as both sides are familiar with altitude conditions. I’ll lean towards the Cheetahs to continue their form and take the points in Johannesburg.
Bulls v Sharks (Saturday – 19:00)
The Bulls suffered a narrow two point loss on the road against the Cheetahs in Round 2. It has been an underwhelming start to the season from the pre-tournament favourites as more was expected from them under Jake White. The only notable absentee for the weekend is Gio Aplon after he suffered a tournament- ending ACL injury.
The Sharks return from the bye and seek to build on their opening round victory against the Lions in Durban. This fixture is a rematch of the Super Fan Saturday where the Sharks were beaten 49-28 by the Bulls at Loftus. The Sharks have welcomed back six first team starters since that fixture, including Sbu Nkosi who is set to make his first appearance of the tournament.
The Bulls have dominated the recent fixtures between these two sides having run out winners in eight of the last nine fixtures. I expect the Bulls to be targeting a much improved performance on their home patch and I’ll be tentatively siding with the home side to get the business done on Saturday.
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