The Australian Conference looks a bit more competitive this year with the Brumbies and Rebels likely to be stronger than in 2011.

The Conference betting has been out for some time and I have gone through a range of thought processes before eventually settling on my selection late last night. First though let’s take a look at the betting.

Reds 12/10 with World Sports Betting

Waratahs 1.87/1 with Ladbrokes

Brumbies 12/1 with Betxchange and Voltbet

Rebels 14/1 at Betxchange

Force 33/1 at Sportingbet

VERDICT

My initial thoughts were that the Brumbies could spring a surprise under Jake White but they appear to be a bit thin in certain areas including the front row where they currently have injury difficulties.

I then began leaning to the Rebels also at a big price reasoning that the arrival of Beale and O’Conner would give them a massive boost. It will, but they don’t appear to have the pack to go the distance and I will rather look to follow them on the handicaps in some of their opening matches.

I pretty much wrote the Force off when I backed them for the Wooden Spoon and that leaves the market leaders the Reds and the Waratahs. There has been support for the Waratahs and the 22/10 on offer a few weeks back is gone and by contrast while they remain odds on in places there is now 12/10 on offer about the Reds.

The thing about the Waratahs is that they always look good on paper but generally fade at some point and I am not convinced they are a stronger side than they were last year although I think Sarel Pretorius is a great buy.

Having tried to find a way to beat them I am now back in the Reds camp. They will miss Cooper upfront but this is largely the same squad as did the business last season and with a lot of youth in the camp they may well have come on for the experience.

They face a massive match first up away to the Waratahs in Sydney and while it may be worth waiting and backing them after that they may just come out and win in which case they would be odds on for sure.

BET: 5 units Reds win Aus Conference at 12/10 with World Sports Betting

Stay close to Goodforthegame as we build up to the Super Rugby season with long term previews including a look at the exotic markets later this week. We will of course be previewing each and every match from a betting perspective with eager punters discussing the odds in our forum.

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