Super Rugby Picks: Blues and Canes clash, Crusaders look to rebound in Pretoria

May 10, 2019
Hurricanes second-five Ngani Laumape scores a try in the tackle of Blues' halfback Augustine Pulu. Round 18 Super Rugby match, Hurricanes v Blues. Westpac Stadium, Wellington. Saturday 7th July 2018. © Copyright Photo: Grant Down / www.photosport.nz

The competition is slowly headed towards its final weeks but there's still plenty to play for and upsets to complicate things! Are the TVNZ sports buffs picking any this week? Check in and find out!

How it works:  TVNZ sports buffs will chip in their picks for matches involving New Zealand sides each round with some adding a little insight into their thinking. A correct result will give them two points and a correct margin a bonus point.

Round 13

Blues v Hurricanes
Bulls v Crusaders
Highlanders v Jaguares
Chiefs v Sharks

Matt Hall-Smith - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter

Blues v Hurricanes: Blues 1-12
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 13+
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 13+
Chiefs v Sharks: Chiefs 13+

Guy Heveldt - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter

Blues v Hurricanes: Blues 1-12 - "As the Black Eyed Peas once said, 'I gotta feelin'. They just don't lose at Eden Park at the moment."
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12 - "A little unsure about this , but it's not often the Crusaders lose two in a row (the draw felt like a loss)."
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 1-12
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12 - "You know."

Brodyn Knuckey - 1 NEWS NOW Sport Producer

Blues v Hurricanes: Blues 1-12 - "I know scrums have been an issue but if that pack can't set a platform for Ioane, Nonu and co. to work with, then they really have a problem going forward."
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 13+ - "

Highlanders v Jaguares: Jaguares 1-12

Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12

Maddy Lloyd - Breakfast Reporter

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 13+
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 13+ - "Naturally."
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 1-12
Chiefs v Sharks: Chiefs 1-12 - "I know I said I’m never backing these guys again…. but ah well everyone deserves a seventh chance." 

Faleatua Malili - 1 NEWS NOW Sport Producer

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Highlanders v Jaguares: Jaguares 1-12
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12

Matt Manukia - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 13+
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 13+
Highlanders v Jaguares: Jaguares 1-12
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12

John McKenzie - 1 NEWS Reporter

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 1-12
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12

Alex Powell - 1 NEWS NOW Sport Producer

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 13+
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 13+
Chiefs v Sharks:  Chiefs 1-12

Dewi Preece - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter

"I've had draws on my mind all bloody week!"

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12 - "Amazing matchups all over but crucial ones - 10 & 15 - I'm giving to the Barretts so advantage, 'Canes."
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12 - "Crusaders should bounce back from last week's shocker but Bulls will be buoyed by what the Sharks did."
Highlanders v Jaguares: DRAW! - "You'd better believe it! Jags coming off four straight wins, including two in SA. And I won't lie - I want to be the first to pick a draw correctly..."
Chiefs v Sharks: Chiefs 13+ - "Before you declare me unfit for work, hear me out… last time Chiefs came off a draw, they followed up with 56 points in Pretoria. The draw before that (vs Blues, 2017) they followed with 46 points against the ‘Tahs."  

Michelle Prendiville - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 13+
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 13+

Josh Reich - 1 NEWS NOW Editor, LEADER

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 13+
Bulls v Crusaders: Bulls 1-12
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 1-12
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12

Andrew Saville - 1 NEWS Sport Presenter

Blues v Hurricanes: Blues 1-12 - "Call it a hunch... which could go horribly wrong but Blues are handy at home."
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 13+ - "Big bounce back from last week's frustration incoming."
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 13+ - "Time for the Southerners to click under the roof. Also time to close out games when in front!"
Chiefs v Sharks: Chiefs 1-12 - "Battered Chiefs to round out a much better weekend for the Kiwi sides. Chiefs will need to dig deep again but they've proven they can do it."

Stephen Stuart - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12 - "The Blues have had their win over an NZ side this year... can't see another coming that quickly."
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 13+ - "Simply too much firepower for the Bulls."
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 1-12 - "Jaguares were unbeaten down under last year but nowhere near as consistent this season."
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12 - "Average hosting the dull. I'm jumping on the bland wagon."

Victor Waters - Breakfast Sport Producer, 2018 Champ

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Highlanders v Jaguares: Highlanders 1-12
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12

Abby Wilson - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter

Blues v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 13+ - "My faith in my 'Canes rests on this happening..."
Bulls v Crusaders: Crusaders 13+ - "Crusaders never have two bad performances in a row... look for them to bounce back from that shock draw."
Highlanders v Jaguares: Jaguares 1-12 - "Hard to pick... long trip from Argentina for the cats but Highlanders are down another key player."
Chiefs v Sharks: Sharks 1-12 - "I just don't think the Chiefs have a win in them this week. Not sure it's based on facts... just a feeling."

Scoreboard: Reich 80, Hall-Smith 76, Heveldt 72, Preece 70, Wilson, Saville & Stuart 67, Waters & Lloyd 66, Knuckey 64, Prendiville 62, Manukia 60, Powell 56, Malili 53, McKenzie 52

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