Reds vs Highlanders Prediction: Highlanders to give Reds run for their money

Queensland Reds find themselves on a three-game losing streak but can stop the rot on Friday morning (10:35 kick-off) when they host the Highlanders at Suncorp Stadium. The Highlanders have also had their struggles this season and head to Brisbane on the back of just two wins in Super Rugby Pacific this year. 

Having suffered a 47-31 defeat to the Melbourne Rebels last time out, it’s hard to see this Highlanders outfit getting anything from their trip across the Tasman this week but they can certainly make it a tight contest. 

Match Odds 

The Reds are 4/11 favourites for the win in the 80 minutes, while the Highlanders are 5/2 to head back to Dunedin with the victory. A stalemate at Suncorp Stadium is available at 22/1. 

Team News 

Reds head coach Les Kiss has made six changes to his starting XV from the side that lost 17-14 to Moana Pasifika last week. 

Following red cards against Moana, Fraser McReight and Tate McDermott are both suspended, while Seru Uru and Josh Flook both picked up injuries. Cormac Daly earns a first starting role, while Jordan Petaia moves from winger to outside centre, with Mac Grealy coming in on the wing. 

Kalani Thomas replaces McDermott at scrum-half, while John Bryant gets his opportunity at flanker in place of McReight. Fly-half Tom Lynagh and former New Zealand prop Alex Hodgman also come into the starting lineup. 

As for the Highlanders, head coach Clarke Dermody has also rung the changes after their defeat to the Rebels. Tanielu Tele’a is back from suspension to start at outside centre, while Cameron Millar gets a second start at fly-half. 

James Arscott joins Millar in the half-backs, with Connor Garden-Bachop starting at full-back, while All Blacks forward Ethan de Groot comes back into the front-row. 

De Groot partners Ricky Jackson and Saula Ma’u in that front-row, with Hugo Plummer and Pari Pari Parkinson in the engine room. The back-row consists of Oliver Haig, Sean Withy and skipper Bill Harmon. 

Highlanders +7 handicap @ 20/21

The Highlanders have an impressive record in this fixture, winning all of their last six meetings against the Reds. 

However, the Otago side have not looked like the same force that they once were and it’s hard to see them coming away from Brisbane with the spoils. 

That’s not to say the visitors won’t make this a close game, as all of the last 10 games between these teams have been decided by a margin of eight points or less. 

With that trend in mind, the Highlanders are good value to back with +7 in the handicap market. 

Over 58.5 total points @ 1/1 

Matches between these sides tend to be high-scoring affairs and Friday’s contest should prove to be no different. 

Over 58.5 total points has landed in three of the last four encounters between these sides and it would be little surprise to see it come in again here. 

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