Super Rugby 2020 Outrights

Haven’t looked at fixtures or much news at all but at first glance Sharks 10/1 seems value?

southpaw wrote: Haven’t looked at fixtures or much news at all but at first glance Sharks 10/1 seems value?

All over the Sharks. Fired yesterday

Can I get a bit of context on the Sharks fancy.
I'd have Jags and Stormers a good bit ahead of the rest.

Super Rugby opening round betting is available.

Blues +5.5
The Blues opened their account to the Saders in the opening game of last season and covered the +6.5 on the day. Blues have gotten stronger since then. Cracking value. Will also take Blues -2.5 at 3.5/1

Sharks on the board @6.5/10
Sharks have a good squad and are being disrespected by the bookmakers. Bulls losing key figures in Pollard and Vermeleun in the offseason and have another rebuilding job on their hands.

Brumbies -6.5 vs Reds
Brumbies don't concede many at home and should have enough to cover this cap. I thought the line would open at 9.5 for this one so a cap within 1 score has me very interested.

Sunwolves +16.5 vs Rebels
Although you don't know what you are going to get with the Wolves, I feel like RWC2019 has brought some interest into the Japanese public. The game is also getting played in Japan where the Wolves are traditionally stronger. Rebels losing some experience in the off season.

Sunwolves used 58 players last year. Of those 58 players as of right now I believe 2 of them are available to play Super Rugby. Rowe and Bregvadze. Rebels beat that Sunwolves by 45 and 27. The Hcap here started at 10 in Europe and was up to 17 within about an hour. I'm still not sure it's high enough. I got a piece at 14 so I may be biased.

I know they signed Paige, Schatz, Te'o and Engelbrecht but I really have no idea how they're expected to put a team together outside of that. They signed some other marginal players like Chris Eves from Hurricanes and James Dargaville from Brumbies.

They are currently working off a squad of less than 30, which is laughably small. New squad, new head coach. They have 1 preseason match scheduled against a "Barbarians" side on the 25th of January. They need about 4 to get in proper shape for what should be a Rebels side pushing for the Oz conference. They'll have a back line of: Lomani, Toomua, Koroibete, Meakes, Hodge, Maddocks and Haylett-Petty.
Good fucking luck to Sunwolves, they'll need it!

I'd be leaning to the Chiefs. While I agree that the Blues got better so too did the Chiefs. Beauden is on holiday until mid-April, Cruden is straight to work.

Having looked into the Sharks a little bit more it looks like they tooled up after losing Oosthuizen, Mtawarira, du Preez by 3, Vermeulen, Esterhuizen.
They have Kok from 7s which is an interesting signing. and raided the Cheetahs for 3 Currie Cup winners. I feel like they've done a better job at refreshing their squad than Bulls.

I also strongly fancy the Jags to give the Lions a good beating. You can't lose the majority of your quality (Smith, Mapoe, Whiteley, Marx, Diyanti and Lewies) and expect to play to the same level as before. Jags lost Matera and Lavanini but they have great depth to handle that. Plus they'll be looking to get back at Lions for two early losses to them last year. I have that as a double digit beating.

Elsewhere I'd be leaning to Brumbies and Stormers to cover. I like Reds and I think they'll surprise some people this year but they've a lot of youth that need time to bed in. Hurricanes minus Beauden and Ardie are a less scary prospect than usual. If the Stormers have a full selection I'd fancy them to win that one.