Time is fast running out for our Newshub Super Rugby tipsters to overhaul frontrunner Ross Karl before the season ends.
Entering the final weekend of the regular season, Karl leads the field by 19 points, but could still lose that with a couple of disastrous weeks.
That's looking less and less likely, as he tried to cover the field down the stretch.
Only our runaway leader thinks the makeshift Hurricanes line-up can beat the Blues on Saturday night, while only Ollie Ritchie picks the Chiefs to gain the bonus point they'll likely need against the Rebels to progress to the semi-finals.
Karl's biggest risk this week will be the Highlanders' home clash with the Waratahs, where he has them winning narrowly, despite the absence of the visitors' international stars. And if the Blues can sneak past the Hurricanes, it's game on with two weeks remaining.
Both his nearest challenges - Kristina Eddy and John Day - have the southerners winning big and if they're right, they could halve the distance to the competition leader.
The rules are simple:
Pick the winner and margin of any Super Rugby game involving a New Zealand franchise, with points awarded in the following manner:
Pick the winner and margin (13-plus or 12-under) = three points.
Pick the winner only = one point.
Pick all results correctly including margin: five bonus points.
Super Rugby Week 18
Highlanders v Waratahs, Chiefs v Rebels, Hurricanes v Blues,
*Margin is based on the classic 12-under or 13-plus format.
Newshub.
