Crusaders vs Highlanders Prediction: Top spot in sight for hosts

The Crusaders will be looking to move top of the Super Rugby Pacific table when they welcome rock-bottom Highlanders to Rugby League Park on Friday morning (08:05 kick-off).

James Mason provides his best bets in this Crusaders vs Highlanders prediction piece, as well as the essential team news and match odds for this clash in Christchurch.

Rugby Union Odds

Team News

Crusaders have made six changes from the side that beat the Waratahs last time out. In the backs Sevu Reece moves from the left wing to the right, with Macca Springer starting at 11 after being drafted in for Chay Fihaki, while Mitch Drummond is in at scrum-half in place of Noah Hotham.

In the forwards, Jamie Hannah and Scott Barrett start in the second-row, replacing Quinten Strange and Antonio Shalfoon, while Codie Taylor is in at hooker instead of Ioane Moananu and George Bower replaces Tamaiti Williams at prop.

The Highlanders have made just one alteration from the Hurricanes defeat, with Taniela Filimone starting on the left wing in place of Jona Nareki.

Crusaders vs Highlanders Odds

Crusaders are the firm 1/8 favourites to pick up the win on home soil, with the draw priced at 22/1 and the Highlanders 6/1 to cause an upset.

In the double result market, it is 4/11 for the Crusaders to be winning at both half-time and full-time.

Crusaders to win by 6-10 points inclusive @ 11/2

It has been a miserable season for the Highlanders, who prop up the Super Rugby Pacific standings heading into the penultimate rounds of fixtures with just three wins from 12 matches.

Jamie Joseph's side now face a tough trip to Christchurch to take on the Crusaders, who know they will go top of the table with a win due to it being a bye week for the Brumbies.

Rob Penney's title contenders defeated the Waratahs 48-33 last time out, making it five wins from their last six fixtures, meaning that they are hitting peak form as the Finals Series approaches.

The Crusaders recorded a crushing 43-10 victory at the Highlanders three matches ago, but this meeting shouldn't be that easy and the Highlanders can at least keep things closer.

Although the Highlanders are on a four-game losing run, they have kept things close in the last two outings with four and five-points defeats to the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifica respectively.

Interestingly, the winning margin in five of the Highlanders' six away matches has been by nine or fewer points and they can make life tough for the Crusaders.

Tom Christie anytime tryscorer @ 5/2

Flanker Tom Christie has scored a try in each of his last two appearances, touching down against both the Chiefs and the Waratahs, and he looks capable of making it a hat-trick on Friday.

The 27-year-old is a powerful runner with the ball and he could be presented with a chance to barge over the line against a Highlanders' defence that has conceded 366 points this season.

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