Chiefs vs Highlanders Prediction: Chiefs to send Highlanders home empty-handed

There’s an all-Kiwi Super Rugby Pacific showdown to look forward to on Saturday morning (08:05, Sky Sports Mix) as the Chiefs prepare to host the Highlanders at FMG Stadium Waikato.

Alex Jack provides his best bets in his Chiefs vs Highlanders prediction piece, as well as all the essential team news and match odds for the clash in Hamilton.

Rugby Union Odds

Team News

The Chiefs go with Aidan Ross, Brodie McAlister and George Dyer in the front row, with Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Tupou Vaa’i in the second row.

Samipeni Finau, Jahrome Brown and Luke Jacobson complete the pack, with Xavier Roe and Damian McKenzie in the half-backs.

Quinn Tupea and Daniel Rona start in the centres, with a back three made up of Leroy Carter, Emoni Narawa and Shaun Stevenson.

As for the Highlanders, Ethan de Groot, Henry Bell and Sefo Kautai start in the front row, with Mitchell Dunshea and Fabian Holland in the second row.

Oliver Haig, Veveni Lasaqa and Hugh Renton start in the back row, with Folau Fakatava and Cameron Millar starting in the half-backs.

The Highlanders’ backline is complete with Timoci Tavatavanawai and Thomas Umaga-Jensen in the centres, with Jona Nareki, Taniela Filimone and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens in the back three.

Chiefs vs Highlanders Odds

The Chiefs are the heavy favourites to get back to winning ways on Saturday at 2/13, while the Highlanders are 5/1 to head back to Dunedin with the victory.

A draw is available at 20/1, while the Chiefs to win by over 12 points is 8/13.

Chiefs -18 handicap @ 6/5

The big call for the Chiefs ahead of Saturday morning’s game is the move to bring McKenzie from full-back to fly-half.

Looking back at the stats from the surprising 21-14 defeat at the Waratahs last time out, McKenzie simply could not get himself into the game at Allianz Stadium.

Making just nine metres with ball in hand and having 19 passes over the course of the game, the Chiefs need to have one of their star players involved in the game more.

Moving the All Blacks back to the No.10 jersey will undoubtedly bring McKenzie into the action more and he can help provide a Chiefs’ response after that shock defeat in Sydney.

The Chiefs are looking to make it six wins on the bounce against the Highlanders this weekend, with the Hamilton outfit having dominated this rivalry of late.

Winning 20 of their last 22 Super Rugby Pacific games at FMG Waikato Stadium, including their last five on the spin, the Chiefs are a tough nut to crack on their own patch.

Scoring an average of 40 points per game in their last five home matches, the Chiefs to overcome the -18 handicap against the Highlanders gets the nod for this one in Hamilton.

Rugby Union Betting Tips from Betfred Insights