Crusaders vs Highlanders Betting Tips, Preview & Odds – Crusaders to seal title

The Crusaders can secure the 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa title with a win over the Highlanders at the Orangetheory Stadium on Sunday. The home side have dominated this fixture over the years, with five successive 20+ point wins. I expect much of the same again.

The Crusaders sit proudly atop the Super Rugby Aotearoa table and will claim the title with a match to spare if they can claim a bonus-point victory.

In Christchurch, the Crusaders are usually immense, but their 36-match unbeaten run came to an end two weeks ago when they were downed 34-32 by the Hurricanes.

In their last fixture, the Crusaders defeated the Chiefs 32-19. As is the norm with the Crusaders, they pulled away in the final quarter thanks to their assets on the bench.

Braydon Ennor failed to pass a late fitness test last week but will surely feature at some point this weekend. Unfortunately for the winger the current back three are in magnificent form so a start is unlikely.

The Highlanders have endured a poor 2020.

They have mustered just two victories in Super Rugby Aotearoa - both against the struggling Chiefs. When the Highlanders met the Crusaders in round 4, they went down 40-20 on their own patch. Last weekend, the Highlanders lost 32-19 at home to the Blues.

The Highlanders have shown patches of class over the campaign, but not nearly enough to warrant more than their two wins to date. That is also unlikely to change in Christchurch.

The Highlanders have little to play for but are unlikely to steer too far away from full strength considering the opposition. I expect a similar line-up to last weekend with perhaps Jona Nareki getting a start on the wing.

The Crusaders have an 8-1 advantage over the Highlanders in their last nine meetings.

The Christchurch-based side have won the last five clashes by 23, 26, 24, 20, and 20 points.

Their last meeting took place earlier in Super Rugby Aotearoa. The Crusaders won 40-20 in Dunedin.

The Crusaders are available at 1.13 to win, while the Highlanders are priced at 6.00.

The handicap is set at 16 points.

The Crusaders are stacked with All Blacks and their bench is the strongest in the competition. This is why they score so many points in the final quarter of games. The Highlanders will need to conserve their energy for the second half, but with the Crusaders relentless, that is not easy.