Hurricanes vs Blues Prediction: Canes to give visitors the blues

Reigning Super Rugby Pacific champions the Blues have endured a tough start to their title defence and things won’t get any easier for the Auckland outfit when they take on the Hurricanes at Sky Stadium on Saturday morning (06:05, Sky Sports Action).

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

Rugby Union Odds

Team News

The Hurricanes start with Xavier Numia, Raymond Tuputupu and Pasilio Tosi in the front row, with Caleb Delany and Isaia Walker-Leawere in the second row.

Brad Shields, Du'Plessis Kirifi and Peter Lakai start in the second row, with Cam Roigard and Harry Godfrey in the half-backs.

Peter Umaga-Jensen and Bailyn Sullivan start in the centres, with Kini Naholo, Fehi Fineanganofo and Kade Banks in the back three.

As for the Blues, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Ricky Riccitelli and Marcel Renata are in the front row, with locks Patrick Tuipulotu and Josh Beehre in behind.

Cameron Suafoa, Dalton Papali’i and Hoskins Sotutu are in the back row, with the half-backs a combination of Finlay Christie and Harry Plummer.

AJ Lam and Rieko Ioane start in the centres, with a back three of Caleb Clarke, Mark Tele’a and Beauden Barrett.

Hurricanes vs Blues Odds

The Hurricanes are 13/10 to win on home soil, while the Blues are the 4/6 favourites to claim the victory on Saturday.

A draw in Wellington is available at 18/1, while the Hurricanes to be leading at half-time and full-time is currently 21/10.

Hurricanes to win @ 6/4

The Blues side, especially in the backs, is brimming with talent and includes a host of New Zealand internationals.

However, Sky Stadium has not been a happy hunting ground for the All Blacks in recent years and the ground might well hold some bad memories for many of these Blues’ stars.

On paper, it’s understandable why the Blues are the favourites but this side have underwhelmed in the first couple of rounds of the season.

Losing 25-15 in Auckland against the Chiefs in their opening game, the Blues went on to suffer a 29-21 defeat to fellow Kiwi outfit the Highlanders in Dunedin.

Five of the last six Super Rugby Pacific games between the Hurricanes and Blues at Sky Stadium have been decided by a margin of less than 10 points, so expect another tight encounter between these rivals on Saturday.

However, this looks to be a game that the Hurricanes can edge in Wellington, as they have done in three of their last six meetings with the Blues at Sky Stadium.

Now seems to be a good time to face the Auckland side before they find their rhythm later in the season and the Hurricanes are good value at 13/10 for the win on their own patch here.

Rugby Union Betting Tips from Betfred Insights.