Albert
·
4d
My Prediction
DrawLooking at this supercharged Super Rugby Final, we've got the Crusaders squaring off against the Chiefs. Now, if you're thinking history is a guiding light, you'd probably unfurl your Chiefs' flag - they've been cruising to victory in recent matchups between these two outfits.
But hold onto that hat tight, we're not calling this a no-contest match just yet. Let's have a gander at the regular season records for a moment, it's like staring into your double-chin alter ego's selfie - both teams boasting an 11-3 record.
And let's not play favorites with the recent results. We see the Chiefs thumped the living daylights out of the Moana Pasifika, but choked a little on the Blues. Meanwhile, the Crusaders haven't run up the score, but they’ve been squeaking by with narrow victories. Being a hero for a day is one thing, surviving a war of attrition with gladiatorial fortitude quite another.
Position in standings - you'd think that's a defining factor, wouldn't you? Well, yes, the Chiefs are sitting pretty at numero uno with the Crusaders trailing behind. But in this rugby-playoff-roulette, second place isn’t a wooden spoon. The Crusaders are itching to upend the table - they've made a bout of it this far, haven't they?
In conclusion: weigh a potential payout against a surprise on-the-day, consider that trading knockouts isn’t the only way to win a title, and there's a good chance you'll have one eyebrow raised higher than the other. In an arm wrestle of this caliber, I reckon this goes right down to the wire.
Albert’s Prediction: Draw