Taranaki vs Canterbury Predictions - Canterbury to bounce back with a win over Taranaki

Brad Newcomb

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Last updated: 1 hour ago

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Brad Newcomb 1 hour ago

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Canterbury have won 5 of their last 6 away games.
Taranaki have lost 5 of their last 6 matches.
Canterbury are predicted to cover the -8.5 handicap.

Canterbury have had solid away form recently (Getty Images)

Taranaki have been struggling to win their matches in this edition of the NPC. Canterbury suffered their first defeat of their campaign last weekend but had been in solid form before that result.

Canterbury have won 7 of their last 8 fixtures.
Canterbury have won 5 of their last 6 away matches.
Taranaki have lost 5 of their last 6 games.
Taranaki have lost 3 of their last 5 home matches.

Head to Head

Canterbury have the advantage over Taranaki, with nine victories to six in 15 meetings in the National Provincial Championship.

Taranaki Form

Taranaki only scored a converted try in the first half against Bay of Plenty last weekend to go into half-time trailing 21-7.

The Bulls improved in the second stanza, scoring three tries and a conversion, but fell short, losing 28-24 to Bay of Plenty away from home.

Before that, Taranaki defeated Counties Manukau 20-5 away from home in their opening match of the season before losing 38-32 at home to Waikato, and 42-0 away to Northland.

The Taranaki Bulls are 10th in the National Provincial Championship table with eight points after four rounds.

Taranaki must find a way to improve their form to get their season back on track, as they have not been at the best in recent outings, having suffered three defeats on the trot.

Canterbury Form

Canterbury scored two tries and a conversion in the first half against Northland last weekend, but went into the break trailing 21-12.

Canterbury failed to trouble the score in the second half, losing 36-12 to Northland at home.

Earlier in their campaign, the Red and Blacks beat Auckland 38-31 at home, Otago 19-15 away, and defeated Bay of Plenty 33-28 at home.

Canterbury are seventh in the NPC standings with 14 points after four matches.

Canterbury were below-par in their previous fixture, but will start confidently in their away match against Taranaki, as they have won five of their last six games on the road.

Team News

Taranaki Bulls

Seta Tamanivalu, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Kini Naholo, and Vereniki Tikoisolomone each scored a try against Bay of Plenty last weekend.

Sam Clarke landed two conversions in the match.

Starting XV: Jared Proffit, JJ Pokai, Keightley Watson, Bradley Tocker, Jesse Parete, Josefa Namosimalua, Michael Loft, Kaylum Boshier (C), Logan Crowley, Sam Clarke, Kini Naholo, Seta Tamanivalu, Meihana Grindlay, Vereniki Tikoisolomone, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

Replacements: Zach Landon-Lane, Perry Lawrence, Marika Parker, Scott Jury, Arese Poliko, Quintony Ngatai, Jamie Viljoen, Willem Ratu

Canterbury

Tahlor Cahill and Jone Rova scored a try each against Northland last weekend.

Andrew Knewstubb kicked over a conversion in the match.

Starting XV: Daniel Lienert-Brown, Manumaua Letiu, Seb Calder, Liam Jack, Tahlor Cahill, Finn McLeod, Corey Kellow, Dominic Gardiner (C), Tyson Belworthy, Andrew Knewstubb, Kurtis Macdonald, Toby Bell, Jone Rova, Chay Fihaki, Isaac Hutchinson

Replacements: Nick Hyde, Finlay Brewis, Jermaine Ainsley, Xavier Treacy, Phoenix Abbott, Louie Chapman, James Cameron, Johnny McNicholl

Verdict

Taranaki v Canterbury

Canterbury have been getting results this season and are tipped to cover the -8.5 handicap in their match against Taranaki.

Canterbury -8.5

Result

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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.