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New Zealand dominate Super 14 betting

It may hurt to say so, but punters have not gone too far wrong in backing New Zealand teams in Super 14 betting.

The Blues were the first winners of what was then the Super 12 in 1996, and only three times since then has the trophy left New Zealand.

It headed to Pretoria last year, when the Bulls beat the Sharks to upset the odds in an all-South African final. But most New Zealanders believe that was because 22 All Blacks missed the first half of the season to go through a conditioning programme and few would bet against normal service being resumed.

As far as Australia is concerned, the ACT Brumbies are the leading hope in Super 14 betting.

They won the title in 2001, beating the Sharks, and won an exciting final 47-38 against the Crusaders in 2005 - they have also lost in three finals.

Bets on the Crusaders' have been well rewarded recently, but last year saw the end of their run of five consecutive final appearances.

The Christchurch-based franchise have been the dominant team in Super 14 betting, winning their first title in 1998 and going on to win six more times.

The Blues won an all-New Zealand final in 2003 to pick up their third title. The Auckland-based side have won three of their four finals and that form is reflected in their Super 14 odds.

Since the addition of two extra teams in 2006, the Crusaders have been the most successful team, having won 19 of their 26 games and in 2006 they lost only once.

Bettors who look for patterns should note that in both the Super 14 seasons, the teams finishing first and second in the tournament proper have gone on to contest the final.

The Western Force were wooden spoonists in their first year in the competition, 2006, winning only one game.

That year, Daniel Carter emerged as one of the game's brightest stars and was in imperious form with the boot for the Crusaders, scoring a competition-high 221 points.

Wing/fullback JP Pietersen was on fire for the Sharks in 2007, scoring 12 tries including one in the final, while Stephen Donald of the Chiefs was the season's leading points scorer with 164.

The Brumbies have shown they don't easily give up causes whatever the odds. They won their last six matches of 2007 to miss out on making the top four by just two points having traded at big odds in the Super 14 betting.

But the team were let down on the number of tries they scored, managing only 23 while the top four teams all topped the 40-mark.

Despite having lost the core of their team to the conditioning programme, the Crusaders produced the highest try count in the competition (47) and gained a bonus point in all except one of their wins.

Super 14 will continue to attract many bets and there are many available with Betfair.