Blues vs Chiefs Prediction: Riccitelli ready to inspire champions to winning start

There's a repeat of last season's Super Rugby Pacific final to look forward to on Saturday (06:05, Sky Sports+) as the Blues and the Chiefs begin their campaigns at Eden Park. Last June, the duo duelled it out for glory and the Blues secured their first title since 2003, as Caleb Clarke's hat-trick helped them to a 41-10 victory in front of their home crowd.

They have since welcomed back and can call upon Beauden Barrett following his stint in Japan and he and All Black fly-half rival Damien McKenzie both start, albeit from full-back. With recent history on their side, Barrett & Co. can start 2025 with a bang, as suggested in my Blues vs Chiefs predictions below.

Team News

The headline calls by both coaches are the selections of Barrett and McKenzie at the back rather than in the 10 shirt. 

Blues boss Vern Cotter has decided to stick with Harry Plummer, who will depart for Clermont Auvergne once the season has ended, while Chiefs counterpart Clayton McMillan has gone with Josh Jacomb at first-five-eighth.

Prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi will play his 150th game for the Blues, while forwards Che Clark and Nathaniel Pole could make their debuts.

Rugby Union Odds

Hooker Brodie McAlister and winger Leroy Carter make their debuts for the Chiefs, while All Black Josh Lord starts in the second row.

Blues vs Chiefs Odds

The Blues are 1/2, or a 66.7% chance, to win on Saturday, with the draw 18/1 and the Chiefs 9/5.

After winning last year's final by 31 points, Cotter's side are 22/1 by 31-35 points, while that match's hero Clarke is 20/21 in the anytime tryscorer market.

Blues -9 handicap @ 11/8

The Blues' performance in last year's final was magnificent and followed up their 31-17 Round 15 success over the Chiefs.

With Barrett back and Plummer set for his last season, they have the motivation to try and back up their title and have a history of making fast starts, winning five of their last six opening fixtures.

The Chiefs ended last term with three defeats in their last five and have lost seven of the last nine head-to-heads.

Saturday's hosts' last three wins over their visitors from Waikato have been by 14 or more points and it is worth pushing past EVS in the handicap markets.

A repeat of last June's Eden Park masterclass is unlikely but Cotter's crew can still run out comfortable winners.

Ricky Riccitelli anytime tryscorer @ 21/20

The Blues' free-flowing attack dominated the final but previous matches have had much to do with their forwards and Cotter likes to base his tactics on a strong set-piece.

Hooker Ricky Riccitelli is good in the scrum and finds his jumpers at the line-out, but is also dynamic in the loose and strong in the tight.

The 30-year-old touched down for the opening try when these two met in the final round of the regular season in 2024 and also went over when the Chiefs won 20-13 in the duo's 2023 meeting in Hamilton.

Find more Rugby Union Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights