Kriel's Lions should make Canes graft hard for final spot

Crusaders v Chiefs
Sky Sports Action, 8.35am Saturday
Lions v Hurricanes
Sky Sports Arena, 1.30pm Saturday

The Hurricanes beat the Lions 20-3 in last year’s Super Rugby final and have won the teams’ last eight meetings including the last two in Johannesburg by margins of 14 points or more.

However, the 3-4 Canes will certainly not be taking a place in the Super Rugby decider for a third year on the spin for granted.

The Lions have won all eight matches at Ellis Park this season – five by 13 points or more – and while they have not hosted any New Zealand outfits this campaign, they won both their home playoff games against Kiwi franchises last term.

In the 2016 eliminator, the Lions avenged a round six 43-37 defeat to the Crusaders with a 42-25 win.

In the 2016 semi-final, the Lions beat the Highlanders 42-30.

And while the regular season-topping Lions only sneaked past the Sharks last Saturday 23-21 courtesy of a late long-range penalty from Ruan Combrinck, they were extremely casual in the first half in particular and fly-half Elton Jantjies had a rare off-day with the boot.

The Lions should be more focused on this occasion and they will have noticed that the Canes, who have jetted into Joburg from Canberra, were put under the pump by the Brumbies pack for the first hour of their quarter-final. It was a similar story in the Canes’ final regular-season game, a 31-22 win over the Crusaders in Wellington.

Back tenacious Lions skipper and flanker Jaco Kriel to grab a ninth try of the campaign.

That Wellington defeat was the sole one this campaign for the Crusaders and they bounced back with a steely 17-0 home shutout of the Highlanders in atrocious conditions. Better weather in Christchurch should aid their bid to beat the Chiefs, who won in Cape Town last week.

Recommendation
J Kriel to score a try in Lions v Hurricanes
1pt 10-3 Sky Bet

Already advised by Phil Agius (Friday)
Crusaders by one to 12 points
1pt 2-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Already advised by Max Oram (21 July)
Hurricanes to win title
2pts 11-4 general