Lions vs Cheetahs Betting Tips, Preview & Odds – Cheetahs to continue fine start to Super Rugby Unlocked

The Cheetahs make the trip to Emirates Airline Park on Saturday to meet the Lions in Super Rugby Unlocked. The Cheetahs are the form side in the competition and I am backing them to give the Lions a tough afternoon in Johannesburg.

The Lions have been beaten in both of their opening Super Rugby Unlocked games.

In their first fixture of the competition away to the Sharks, the Lions went down 19-16.

In their next match against the Stormers, they were beaten 23-17 after again running out of steam.

Four players have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Lions squad but the names have yet to be released. Lock Willem Alberts, who was in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person last week and thus missed the last match, is unlikely to feature this week as he remains in quarantine. 

The Cheetahs sit proudly atop the Super Rugby Unlocked log after two rounds. The side from Bloemfontein have won their two home games to date.

In their first match of the campaign, the Cheetahs smashed the Pumas 53-31, and followed that up with a tight 19-17 victory over the Bulls last weekend.

The Cheetahs have lost influential captain and scrum-half Ruan Pienaar for at least six weeks after suffering a knee injury against the Bulls. Other than that the Cheetahs have a clean bill of health going into this match.

The Lions lead 3-2 in their last five meetings with the Cheetahs.

The last time the sides met was in the 2019 Currie Cup final, which the Cheetahs won 31-28.

The Lions are available at 2.00 to win the match, with the Cheetahs priced at 1.83. A draw pays 17.00.

The handicap is set at one point.

The Cheetahs have added some defensive quality to their attacking brand of rugby this season. The Lions have struggled to maintain their game for the full 80 minutes so far this campaign, which opens the door for the Cheetahs to pounce.