Counties Manukau vs Southland Predictions - Counties Manukau to see off the challenge of Southland

Brad Newcomb

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Last updated: 2 hours ago

Brad Newcomb 2 hours ago

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Counties Manukau have won 5 consecutive home games against Southland.
Southland have lost 4 consecutive away matches.
Counties Manukau tipped to cover the -3.5 handicap.

Counties Manukau often beat Southland at home (Getty Images)

Counties Manukau vs Southland Predictions

Counties Manukau vs Southland Predictions
Head to Head
Counties Manukau Form
Southland Form
Team News

Counties Manukau secured their first win of the season in their previous NPC fixture and are on a winning streak against Southland at home. Southland are in a slump, often losing their matches.

Counties Manukau have won 3 of their last 5 home games.
Counties Manukau have won 5 consecutive home matches against Southland.
Southland have lost 4 consecutive away fixtures.
Southland have lost 3 of their last 4 matches against Counties Manukau.

Head to Head

Counties Manukau have the advantage with eight victories to three against Southland in 11 meetings in the National Provincial Championship.

Counties Manukau Form

Counties Manukau scored four tries and three conversions in the first half against Wellington last weekend, going into the break leading 26-21.

Manukau continued to score in the second half, adding three tries, a conversion, and a penalty to their tally, securing a 46-35 away win against Wellington.

Earlier in their season, the Steelers lost 20-5 at home to Taranaki, 59-19 to North Harbour away, 50-35 at home to Tasman, and 45-12 to Waikato away.

Manukau are 13th in the National Provincial Championship table with six points after five rounds.

Counties Manukau will be pleased to have picked up their first win of their campaign and will have the belief they can register back-to-back victories, as they have won five consecutive matches against Southland on their home turf.

Southland Form

Southland were outplayed in the first half against Hawke's Bay last weekend, going into the half-time break trailing 31-0.

The Southland Stags improved in the second stanza, scoring three converted tries but lost 36-21 to Hawke's Bay at home.

Before that, the Stags lost 41-14 to Otago at home and 36-35 to Manawatu away and beat Waikato 32-31 at home before losing 46-17 away to Tasman.

Southland are 12th in the National Provincial Championship standings with seven points from five games.

The Southland Stags have been struggling to win recently, losing nine of their last ten league matches, including four in a row on the road.

Team News

Counties Manukau Steelers

Sione Molia and Ian West-Stevens each scored a brace against Wellington last weekend.

Jimmy Tupou, AJ Alatimu, and Cam Church contributed a try each.

AJ Alatimu landed three conversions in the match, while Gibson Popoali'i slotted a penalty.

Starting XV: Jarred Adams, Ian West-Stevens, Thomas Polo, Veikoso Poloniati, Sione Tupou (C), Leo Ngatai-Tafau, Adam Brash, Alamanda Motuga, Melani Matavao, AJ Alatimu, Sione Molia, Gibson Popoali’i, Tomasi Alosio, Blake Makiri, Adam Morrison

Replacements: Rico McQuoid, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Kurene Luamanuvae, Sione Takai, Aporosa Yuniniyaya, Jonathan Taumateine, Jackson Rainsford, Simon-Peter Toleafoa

Southland Stags

Scott Gregory, Jack Barrett, and Sean Withy each scored a try against Hawke's Bay last weekend.

Mika Muliaina slotted three conversions in the match.

Starting XV: Jack Barrett, Jayden Henderson, Paula Latu, Mitchell Dunshea, Alefosio Aho, Sam Fischli, Sean Withy (C), Konrad Toleafoa, Nic Shearer, Jimmy Taylor, Fletcher Morgan, Scott Gregory, Wil Gualter, Hayata Taniyama, Michael Manson

Replacements: Shaun Kempton, Jack Sexton, Sef Fa’agase, Kasaloma Ahokovi, Clem Halaholo, Jackson Hughan, Mika Muliaina, Tayne Harvey

Verdict

Counties Manukau v Southland

Counties Manukau tend to play their best rugby at home in the NPC and are tipped to cover the -3.5 handicap in their bottom-of-the-table clash against Southland.

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Brad graduated from the University of South Africa with a Bcom-Management Accounting degree and has a financial background.

His love of sport has seen him venture down the road of researching sporting history for the past several years, specifically boxing, cricket and football.

Other sports of particular interest are golf, tennis, horse racing and motorsports.

Additionally, he spends his time researching the military history of his home country of South Africa.

He is an ardent Liverpool supporter and is known to DJ and release music on occasion.