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The Blues will on Saturday, April 9, go head-to-head against fellow Pacific Super Rugby outfit the Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato. Online sports betting New Zealand fans can’t wait, and sportsbooks like Betway Sports are offering great odds for the match.
Currently ranked 4th in this year's fixture, only slightly ahead of the 6th-ranked Chiefs, it hasn't been an easy task to decide just how good the Blues are right now. While they're proceeding nicely at 5-1 after reigning victorious twice over the Moana Pacific and the Highlanders, their game against the Chiefs will mean one of their greatest tests of the season.
The Blues emerged the winners of the 2021 Super Rugby Pacific Fixture and will be hoping to perform a repeat act this year.
Eklund A Deciding Force
A player to look out for on the Blues squad is hooker Kurt Eklund, who on Saturday night secured a piece of Super Rugby history for himself and his team at Eden Park.
Eklund performed a historic tree-try feat for the Blues, which saw him not only help his team to a stunning 46-16 victory over Moana Pasifika, but also become the first hooker in the history of the franchise to pull off a hat-trick of tries.
This also means Leon MacDonald’s squad on the weekend made their way up the performance ladder and to three from three in a matter of eight days.
The Blues certainly have managed to become steady on previously wonky ground after losing their opening match against the Hurricanes. They’ve now won 12 of their 13 most recent matches in the 2021-22 Super Rugby season.
Eklund (30) has improved from being a fill-in member of the Blues to becoming a top-pick hooker over the past two seasons. He’s undoubtedly someone the Chiefs will want to keep tabs on, on gameday, and anyone enjoying a bit of mobile sports betting should keep a watch too.
Chiefs Face Woes Of Their Own
As for the Chiefs, they might be facing a spot of difficulty due to prevailing doubt over Josh Loane for the revenge match against the Blues.
The one-time All Black played a commanding game in the Chiefs’30-29 victory against the Hurricanes on Sunday in Wellington. He was however forced from the game during the 58th minute after an injury-inducing tackle with Jordie Barrett.
According to assistant coach David Hill, the initial assumption was that the result had been nothing more than a head knock, but that Loane is now officially uncertain for playing on the weekend.
Such a blow will be highly untimely for both Loane and the team. Loane plays an incredibly strong running game and has an uncanny ability to spot a gap and go for gold, said Hill during a recent interview.
Even so, the Chiefs do have two great 10’s at their disposal right now, meaning the situation might not be quite as dire as it would have been in the alternative.
Another concern for the Chiefs is a recent concussion suffered by Laghlan McWhannell, who will be monitored ahead of the weekend’s game in terms of playability.
Mobile Sports Betting At Betway Sports
Those who love the mobile and online sports betting New Zealand has to offer can place their bets ahead of the big game at Betway Sports. Just remember to always wager responsibly and to make use of the time out or exclusion periods available if you need to cool off.