Super 14 predictions

A helluva interesting week coming up in the Super 14 this week now that each of the sides has had a chance to flex their msucles.

Here are the Sports Trader predictions for Week 2.

Friday fixtures:

Hurricanes vs. Highlanders - Highlanders win
Waratahs vs. Chiefs - Waratahs win
W. Force vs. Cheetahs - Cheetahs win
Stormers vs. Reds - Stormers win

This weekend is vital for all of these sides to get points on the board and that is largely because the 2009 expected "Big Guns" are slogging it out on Saturday.

The Highlanders ran the Brumbies close last week and on that form we're backing them to deliver this week.

Waratahs are at home to the Chiefs and we expect them to come out on top here.

The W. Force host the Cheetahs who have an atrocious track record away from home. Having said that, the Cheetahs put in a half decent performance against the Lions last week and I think that if they can reproduce that form, they may just pip the Force (one of their easier away fixtures) this week.

The Stormers should have no trouble seeing off the Reds with the Newlands faithful behind them.

Saturday fixtures:
Brumbies vs. Crusaders - Crusaders win
Bulls vs. Blues - Blues win
Sharks vs. Lions - Sharks win

Saturday serves up a gem of a rugby day.

The Brumbies host the Crusaders in what is without question the match of the day. It's a tough one to call and we're leaning ever so slightly toward the Crusaders here, but the margin is tiny.

The Bulls host the Blues and based on their performance against the Reds in week 1 we're thinking the Blues might just turn some stomachs at Loftus.

Finally that brings us to the Sharks and the Lions... one of the greatest derby's on the SA calendar. The Lions have problems but they showed moments of quality against the Cheetahs last week. The Stormers proved they could run the Sharks close. We're backing Sharks quality and CONSISTENCY to shine through here.