With my wallet still bleeding on the back of last weeks Cheetahs win over the Sharks I was in cautious mood this weekend and when the Lions rolled the Reds over in Brisbane I figured it was time to put up the white flag. 

Those of us who punt all know the feeling of taking a big loss and then picking yourself off the floor to fight another day. That is the scenario I was faced with on Friday having taken a hammering at the hands of the bookmakers just a few days previously as my Masters picks failed to arrive and the Sharks were unbelievably beaten by the Cheetahs. 

Now sports betting can feel easy, when you are on form that is but when you have taken a knock the best advice is to either pack it in for a few weeks or play very small indeed. I am pleased to say that I was in determined and controlled mood and began with a nice double at small stakes backing the Blues -7 and the Brumbies to beat the Bulls. 

The second leg looked in trouble but for the 3rd time this season the Brumbies scored late on to snatch an unlikely victory and as well as getting my weekend off to a winning start they also kept my long term interest in them as Top Australian side alive as well. 

7.5 units up I decided to sit the Stormers game out and waited instead for the Reds v Lions clash. I had labeled the Reds -6 as a good thing with Sportsbet and other punters agreed as the line moved to 7 points on Saturday morning. I stuck 5 units down and then watched yet another amazing Super 14 upset unfold with the pathetic Reds unable to score in the last quarter of the match despite playing against 13 Lions for a good 8 minutes. In fact it was the Lions who sealed the win during that period and having seen my Best Bet fall so far short I decided to sit out the remaining matches and took a trip to the races instead.  

The move probably cost me a bit as my Value Bet* of the Force to beat the Waratahs arrived at 7/4 at GreatOdds and the Sharks v Crusaders clash was low scoring as I had suggested it would be in my preview where I had pointed punters in the direction of World Sports Betting and their total points market. I may well have given a bit back in the Cheetahs game though so all in all I was pretty content to have cut my punting weekend short and like the Sharks hopefully the rest will see me come out firing when I return. 

My only other action on the weekend was PGA Tour golf where all 3 of my selections in the Verizon Heritage made the cut but none threatened to win or even place and after a brilliant start to the year (in golf) another 9 units were returned to the coffers of the grateful bookmakers.  

My nett rugby profit was 2.53 units and my nett overall loss on the weekend was 6.47 units.  

BETTING SUMMARY

Pending

Premier League: 30 units (Chelsea win 20, Hull last 10)

Champions League: 8 units (Chelsea win 2, any English team 6)

Golf: Race to Dubai: 30 units (10 wins Garcia and 20 places Garcia)

PSL: Ajax (5 units at 2/1)

Super 14: 60 units (Sharks Top SA, Brumbies Top Aus, Hurricanes Top Kiwi, Cheetahs for last, Sharks and Canes to win, a match bet treble Lions/Cheetahs, Reds/Highlanders, Sharks/Blues) F1: 2 units Button for the title at an average of 53/1

Idols: 1 unit Sasha-Lee at 9/2

For my early thoughts on Super 14 week 11 check out our Discussion Forum 

*BEST & VALUE BET