The following from News24:-
"A dominant victory, a crushing defeat and two matches too close to call is the fate that awaits the four SA teams in Super Rugby Round 5 action this weekend, say bookmakers...
The Bulls are first up on Friday, March 16 when they tackle (hopefully) the Chiefs in Hamilton (08:35 SA time).
Leading SA bookies BET.co.za are predicting a third straight defeat for John Mitchell's men having opened their season in thrilling fashion with victory over the Hurricanes.
The Bulls are massive 18.5-point handicap underdogs and can be backed at 7/1 for outright victory. The Chiefs are 2/25 favourites, while the draw is on offer at 33/1.
Matters may improve from a SA point of view in Saturday's clash between the Brumbies and Sharks in Canberra (10:45 SA time).
The Brumbies have looked woeful this season, but are at home for the first time. They welcome a Sharks side that has only beaten the lowly Sunwolves to date.
Not surprisingly then that BET.co.za are struggling to separate the sides, with the Sharks marginal 17/20 favourites, with the Brumbies at 1/1 and the draw not the worst idea at 20/1.
Back in South Africa on Saturday afternoon, the injury and flu-hit Stormers welcome the Blues to Newlands (15:05).
The Stormers are coming off a disastrous Australasian tour on which they failed to register a victory in their three matches, while the Blues turned around their season with a shock win over the Lions at Ellis Park last time out.
And then there's the Sonny Bill Williams factor not to be underestimated at Newlands...
BET.co.za have the home side on offer at 19/20 with the Blues at 17/20 and the draw at 20/1.
Closing Round 5 proceedings on a winning note should be the Lions against the Sunwolves at Ellis Park (17:15).
Although they went down last weekend to the Blues, the Lions should have far too much firepower for the men from Japan and no surprise then to see that BET.co.za have the Lions as 34.5-point handicap favourites and 1/100 to win outright.
The Sunwolves can be backed at 25/1 for their first win of the season, while the draw is available at 66/1."
The Bulls played very badly against the Reds last Saturday - one wonders why after two good performances against the Hurricanes and the Lions. They never really travel well - so that counts against them as well. However, the Chiefs are not in the best of form either. I think the Chiefs will win - but with a margin less than the 18,5 handicap. It may be even less than 10 points depending on which Bulls team turn up for the game. If it is the second half against the Reds gang - the result would be a disaster for the Bulls.
The Blues met with a Lions team whose backline decided against defense and allowed the Blues to run at them. I think the Stormers with the return of Du Toit and the new wunderkid Wiese will have a much stronger forward combination than the Lions had and with Willemse in the backline things would be better for the Stormers, There problem will be in the wings defense - but nothing could be worse than the defense of the Lions was last week. I think the Stormers will win by 8 plus on Saturday.
The Brumbies is atrociously poor this year and I think the Sharks will beat them easily.
The Lions game would have a cricket score - the revenge of the Lions after the fiasco last Saturday wll from a Sunwolves perspecticve will be too ghastly to contemplate.
