Another Super Rugby season is upon us which means it's time for the TVNZ rugby buffs to dust off their crystal balls and whip out their best predictions. Can Victor defend his title? What about the Crusaders? Strap in folks - it's going to be another wild year!
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 1
Chiefs v Highlanders
Blues v Crusaders
Waratahs v Hurricanes
Matt Hall-Smith - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter
Chiefs v Highlanders: Highlanders 13+
Blues v Crusaders: Crusaders 13+
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 13+
Guy Heveldt - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter
Chiefs v Highlanders: Highlanders 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes : Waratahs 1-12 - "No Beauden Barrett for the Canes and their tight five looks to be lacking a bit. Think they might get tipped up."
Brodyn Knuckey - 1 NEWS NOW Sport Producer
Chiefs v Highlanders: Chiefs 1-12 - "Expect this one to be a battle of forwards with new-look back lines and 10s searching for flow. That in mind, the Chiefs pack look much stronger."
Blues v Crusaders: Blues 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Waratahs 1-12
Maddy Lloyd - 1 NEWS Sport Producer
Chiefs v Highlanders: Highlanders 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Waratahs 1-12
Faleatua Malili - 1 NEWS NOW Sport Producer
Chiefs v Highlanders: Chiefs 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Blues 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
John McKenzie - 1 NEWS Reporter
Chiefs v Highlanders: Chiefs 13+ - "As a Highlanders boy, I’m just not convinced they’ve got it this year, especially this week given their line-up. Form away from home last year was horrendous too."
Blues v Crusaders: Blues 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 13+
Alex Powell - 1 NEWS NOW Sport Producer
Chiefs v Highlanders: Chiefs 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Blues 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 13+
Dewi Preece - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter
Chiefs v Highlanders: Chiefs 1-12 - "Scrappy first half with bulk of excitement reserved for final 20 thanks to impact from subs. Surely can't look past a late Stephen Donald conversion to sneak it?"
Blues v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Waratahs 1-12
Michelle Prendiville - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter
Chiefs v Highlanders: Highlanders 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Blues 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Waratahs 1-12
Josh Reich - 1 NEWS NOW Editor
Chiefs v Highlanders: Highlanders 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
Andrew Saville - 1 NEWS Sport Presenter
Chiefs v Highlanders: Highlanders 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12 - "Like what I’m seeing at the Blues under new coaches, but so hard to pick against the Crusaders."
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
Stephen Stuart - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter
Chiefs v Highlanders: Chiefs 1-12 - "New Chiefs captain “Retallicka” is worth three players and that will just get his side home at home."
Blues v Crusaders: Blues 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Waratahs 1-12
Victor Waters - Breakfast Sport Producer, 2018 Champ
Chiefs v Highlanders: Chiefs 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Crusaders 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
Abby Wilson - 1 NEWS Sport Reporter
Chiefs v Highlanders: Highlanders 1-12
Blues v Crusaders: Blues 1-12
Waratahs v Hurricanes: Hurricanes 1-12
2018 Scoreboard: Waters 137, Saville 131, Malili 129, Heveldt 124, Knuckey 119, Stuart 117, Wilson 114, Reich 110, Prendiville 106, Hall-Smith 106, McKenzie 98, Manukia 35
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