Best Bet 1: British & Irish Lions -4.5 @ $1.91 – Sportsbet
CHIEFS ($2.60) VS BRITISH & IRISH LIONS ($1.50)
The sixth match of the British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand will see the visitors take on a weakened Chiefs outfit at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Tuesday evening. The Chiefs have been decimated with injuries and All Blacks selection, but all of the New Zealand teams this year have shown great fight, especially against the midweek Lions. The Lions primary team were very impressive against the New Zealand Maori on Saturday, downing the hosts 32-10 on the back of an impressive defensive and set-piece performance.
Prediction:
Looking at the Chiefs team named by coach Dave Rennie to face the Lions., the match-day squad will be captained by fan favourite Stephen ‘Beaver’ Donald and features six players with Test match experience. Barring a couple players, it is a very inexperienced line-up, but one that features a number of rising stars in New Zealand including hooker Liam Polwart, number eight Tom Sanders, winger Solomon Alaimalo and fullback Shaun Stevenson. Hika Elliot and Liam Messam, two players that felt the wrath of the Lions on the weekend, will provide ample thrust off the bench should they see some game time.
With the first Test of the series scheduled for this Saturday at Eden Park in New Zealand, coach Warren Gatland has called in some replacements from Wales and Scotland, who have also been touring the region for their national teams. The side will be captained by hooker Rory Best (Ireland) and he will be joined by Englishmen Joe Marler and Dan Cole in the front row. Iain Henderson (Ireland) and Courtney Lawes (England) form an industrious second row and there is good balance in the backrow with James Haskell (England), Justin Tipuric (Wales) and CJ Stander (Ireland). Scotland’s Greig Laidlaw and Wales’ Dan Biggar form the halves pairing with Ireland’s Robbie Henshaw and Jarred Payne in the centres. Elliot Daly (England) and Jack Nowell (England) have had underwhelming tours on the wing, whereas Liam Williams (Wales) could be playing for a bench spot on Saturday from fullback. All six of the additional replacements feature on the bench alongside Scotland’s Tommy Seymour.
I have made three mid-week plays so far this tour for three losses. I know the Lions are a weaker unit than the one that lost to the Highlanders last week, but a win for the visitors here would be a real boost to the main team and there is still room to push for bench positions. With all the replacements, the Chiefs look like Waikato, the Mitre 10 team, as opposed to the Super Rugby side that is currently sitting sixth on the Super Rugby log with 11 wins, two losses and a draw. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that the Lions are going to win this one by double-digits, especially with the forecasted weather suggesting there will be no rain.
Predicted result: British & Irish Lions to win @ $1.50
Best Bet 1: British & Irish Lions -4.5 @ $1.91 – Sportsbet
