It was 08h00 on Friday morning and having the day off work I was planning to take my wife for an off road cycle when I heard my cell phone ringing. In a move I was later to regret I answered it.

The voice on the other side was that of Garth Ridgway from FantasySports and my radio show co-host and he was informing me that the Chiefs v Hurricanes semi final was not in fact on Saturday morning as I had thought but rather kicked off in 90 minutes time.

In a flash my Friday morning plans had changed and the hard seat of a bicycle was swopped for the rather more comfy couch in front of the TV. Of course I also scrambled to get my bets on as I made the Hurricanes good things and loaded up in the spreads as well as the fixed odds where I invested 5 units on the +2.5 Hurricanes with World Sports Betting.  

The Canes begun smartly enough grabbing a 7-0 lead but in a performance marked by a strangely subdued Nonu and a bumbling prop in Tialata who made two criminal errors with his team on the attack late in the match, it was the Chiefs who took advantage of another aimless Hurricanes kick to run the length of the park to score leaving me wishing I had just let that cell phone ring and been blissfully unaware that the match was a day earlier than I was expecting.  

The result also meant writing off the last of my Super 14 long term bets namely the Hurricanes to win at 7/1 – I had 5 units down.  

I had tipped the Bulls -6.5 in my preview but on hearing that Olivier had withdrawn from the side I chickened out of that one a move that was also to prove costly as they came home by 13 points after trailing by the same margin at one point. 

My other betting action on the weekend was in the Byron Nelson Championships where for the second week in a row Brian Davis (60/1) flew the flag for me going into the final round. I would normally have sat up to watch but my entire family (including yours truly) was struck down by a 24 hour bug of sorts and after seeing him draw level with Sabbatini after 12 holes I hit the sack only to wake up Monday morning to find he had run second to the South African. That at least insured an 8 unit nett profit on the golf but what a pity he never managed the win as an additional 60 units would have come in very handy thank you very much.  

Jenson Button has also ensured that I am watching a lot more F1 than normal and those 2 units on him at an average of 53/1 may just define or at least save my year and I was very pleased to see him cruise home in Monaco.  

This week I will be shouting for Man United to deliver on my “any English team to win the Champions League” bet and my partner Chris Sturdy has posted his betting preview of tomorrow’s final – click here to read it.  

Keep an eye on this thread in our Discussion Forum for any relevant team, weather or betting news ahead of this weeks Super 14 final and logon Thursday for my preview of the final.  

BETTING SUMMARY

Balance after week 19: 60.63 units
Week 20 result: -2 units
Running balance: +58.63 units

Pending Bets

F1: 2 units Button for the title at an average of 53/1

Cycling: Giro – 8.5 units (Armstrong to wear pink, Armstrong to win a stage, Rogers for win, podium and Top 10)

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