Crusaders vs Western Force Predictions & Tips - All signs point to a big Crusaders victory

Ralph Staniforth

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Last updated: 03 Jun 2021

Ralph Staniforth 03 Jun 2021

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Crusaders vs Western Force predictions for Friday’s Super Rugby trans-Tasman match
Clash is being played at 09:05 SAST at the Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch
Crusaders have won their last 5 outings
I'm backing the Crusaders to cover the -29 handicap with relative ease
Betting tips, predictions and team news for Crusaders vs Western Force

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Crusaders vs Western Force Predictions

The Crusaders are a brilliant side and will likely have the chance to shine once again this weekend. The Force will likely have little to stop the Crusaders, so my best bet is a Crusaders win by more than 29 points.

Crusaders have won their last 2 matches by 35 & 26 points.
Crusaders have won 43 of their last 44 home matches.
Crusaders have won their last 5 matches.
Crusaders average just under 50 points per game over their last 3 matches.
Western Force lost their last match by 37 points.
Western Force lost 45-17 in their last match against the Crusaders.

Head to Head

The Crusaders beat the Western Force 45-17 in their last match. That took place during the 2017 Super Rugby campaign but that was also the last campaign for the Force. These two have not met since.

Crusaders Form

The Crusaders find themselves third on the Super Rugby trans-Tasman table, one point off the Hurricanes and Blues. They have won all three matches thus far with the last two ending in four-try bonus point wins.

The Crusaders struggled in their opening match and were fortunate to escape with a 31-29 home victory over the Brumbies. Since then it has however been plain sailing for Scott Robertson’s men.

Round two saw the Crusaders destroy the Reds 63-28 before beating the Waratahs 54-28 in Sydney last week. The only surprising thing about the Saders’ performance thus far has been the fact that they have conceded almost 30 points each week.

Crusaders Injuries & Team News

Scott Robertson is taking this opportunity against the Western Force to rest a few players. Prop George Bower and lock Sam Whitelock will both sit out among the forwards.

In the backline, stars such as Richie Mo’unga and Sevu Reece will also give this game a miss. Tamaiti Williams, Fergus Burke and Manasa Mataele all come into the side.

Western Force Form

The Western Force are seventh on the Super Rugby trans-Tasman table and winless over their three matches. Only one Australian side has managed a win over New Zealand opposition in the last 15 matches.

Unlike the other Aussie franchises, not much was expected of the Force coming into this tournament. They performed well in the opening two weeks, losing 20-19 to the Chiefs and 25-15 to the Highlanders.

Last week however saw the Perth-based outfit completely collapse in Wellington against the Hurricanes. They were poor from start to finish and lost 43-5.

Western Force Injuries & Team News

Western Force head coach, Tim Sampson has made four changes this week while scrumhalf Ian Prior will make his 100th Super Rugby appearance for the Perth outfit.

Ollie Callan, Feleti Kaitu’u and Jake Strachan all come into the side. Fullback Rob Kearney misses out after failing an HIA test. Jake McIntyre also returns to the side after recovering from injury.

Crusaders vs Western Force Live Stream FAQ

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Verdict

Crusaders v Western Force

The Crusaders average close to 50 points per match in Super Rugby trans-Tasman fixtures. They should be far too strong for the Western Force. I'm tipping the Saders to cover the -29 handicap with ease.

Crusaders -29 Handicap

Handicap

@9/10 - 4 Units

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