On Friday night the Sharks host the Pumas in Durban and Western Province play the Leopards in Potchefstroom. In both games the underdogs are being given a massive start by the bookies.

Sharks v Pumas

The Sharks started off as slight underdogs last weekend at home to the Bulls but they came through to not only beat the handicap but also to win the game. Clearly happy with his side Plumtree has resisted the urge to make any changes and the same team goes into battle on Friday night.

Their opponents the Pumas beat the Leopards by 5 points which was great news for the Goodforthegame punters who took the -3 when the betting came out. The handicap started at -9 though so that late Leopards try was enough to see the Pumas beaten on the handicap in their first home game. They have kept changes to a minimum although perhaps surprisingly hatrick hero Watts is benched with Croy coming in at flyhalf as part of a rotation policy.

The teams have not met competitively since 2006 when the Sharks did the double winning by 18 points at home and 78 points on the road.

BETTING

The Sharks as can be expected are too short to back while the Pumas are 25/1 at Betxchange and GreatOdds.

Handicap
Sharks -26.5 at 9/10 with World Sports Betting
Pumas +29.5 at 1/1 with World of Sport

BETTING ANGLE

I have earmarked the Pumas as a side that can give some cheek this season although I fancy any upsets to come on the rock hard field in Witbank. They beat a big handicap against the Bulls in week 1 after a slow start and the 29.5 looks pretty large here again although I was impressed with the Sharks last week.

With little head to head form to go on I have had a look back to last season to find that the Sharks beat the minnows the Leopards by 14 points at home and the Cavaliers by 36 points.

I reckon these Pumas are a cut above those Cavaliers and while I expect a home win but will be taking a small bet on the Pumas to stay within the handicap.

BET: 2 units Pumas +29.5 at 1/1 with World of Sport

Not being televised (I don’t think) it will be hard to get spreads quotes but I may go for Puma’s shirts again as I fancy them to perhaps get a couple of consolation tries – watch this thread in our forum for more.  

Leopards v Western Province

The Leopards have started badly and a home defeat to the Lions by 30 points was followed by a 5 point loss away to the Puma’s. They have wrung the changes in the hope of righting the ship but would probably have been hoping that their opponents rested a few of their front line players.

This is not the case though and WP has only 2 changes with Moller in for the Blaauw and Fourie in for Liebenberg in the no 2 jersey. Province beat the Cheetahs away, a match where they started underdog and they then made short work of the 10 point start they gave the Lions as they won by 32 points at Newlands.

Last season WP won this fixture 37-3.

BETTING

The Leopards are a standout 20/1 at Mbet and like the Sharks, WP are basically unbackable.

Handicap
Leopards +26 at 9/10 tie no bet with Betxchange

WP -25.5 at 1/1 with World of Sport

BETTING ANGLE

There was plenty of early action as the -22 which Betxchange opened up with was devoured by the punters led by the lads on our forum. The -23 at GreatOdds is also gone but WP may still be worth a punt at -25.5 for those like me who missed the early value.

They have selected a strong side and put the Lions away by 32 who in turn beat the Leopards by 30 a week before so if we were studying a horse race we would have WP a good 50-60 points favourites. Rugby does not work like that of course but a look at last season shows the Leopards took some heavy knocks at home with 3 defeats by margins of more than 30 points.

BET: 4 units WP -25.5 at 1/1 with World of Sport

With hard and fast conditions likely I may well line up a WP shirts bet (spread bet) in this one and although the quotes will be high the Leopards conceded an average of 47 points against higher ranked opposition at home last season.

Saturday’s previews will be posted in our Rugby section and you can click here for our Wallabies v Boks preview.

BEST BET
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