Man, these weeks are going by quickly. We’re already halfway through July, and there’s another action-packed weekend of sport on deck for fans of all different codes. You know what that means for us here at betcha, as we have our list once again of what we see as the best bets for the weekend. As always, we’ll include a unit rating to show how much value we see in each bet, as we cover a wide range of events.
There’s no time to waste with the weekend fast approaching, so let’s get into it.
The word around the NRL is that the Panthers’ defense has taken another step in the right direction, while the Bunnies continue to struggle with putting points on the board. What won’t help Souths is the loss of their best player and most dangerous attacking weapon, Latrell Mitchell, who has been ruled out for a month ahead of this clash. That makes things even tougher for the Bunnies, who already looked like clear underdogs even with Mitchell in the lineup.
For the men in black, they will be without superstars Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary, which could present some challenges of their own. Given both teams may struggle to score and the Panthers have tightened up defensively in recent weeks, I believe we could be in for a lower-scoring affair on Friday night.
The Blackcaps will play their second T20 international in just a few days as they take on Zimbabwe, following a solid win over South Africa last time out. They are fielding a strong squad that put up more than enough runs and then allowed their bowling attack to nullify the World Test Champions in the second innings.
The player of the match was Blackcaps No. 3 Tim Robinson, who once again lifted his performance when given the opportunity. He scored a blistering 75 not out to power New Zealand into a commanding position. I believe Robinson, who tends to raise his level when given a chance at the international stage, could get off to another strong start against Zimbabwe. That is why I feel 15+ runs is a reasonable play for the value
Last week in the capital, New Zealand put France to the sword with a commanding 43–17 victory. It was a result that had seemed likely based on the Dunedin performance, which only lacked the execution they showed at the Cake Tin. This week, Razor has made a number of changes now that the series is secured, but word out of the New Zealand camp is that they still want to finish with a 3–0 sweep in style.
However, I think the French have shown more than enough talent to keep things reasonably close. The All Blacks might lack some international cohesion, with several combinations in the squad that do not have much experience playing together at this level. That leads me to believe the game could look more like what we saw in Dunedin two weekends ago, which is why I’ve opted for the point start in this one
The Lions will take on Australia in the first match of their three-test series this weekend. There has been plenty of build-up, with the Lions facing Argentina, Super Rugby sides, and an AUNZ invitational team in preparation for the series. For Australia, this will be their first game together this year, which could result in some early challenges as they look to find their rhythm.
Head Coach Joe Schmidt has named a squad that, while talented, lacks test experience in some key areas. The Lions, on the other hand, have named what could be considered their strongest lineup, which sets the stage for an exciting contest.
Given how long the Lions have been in camp together and the number of full matches they have already played, I believe they come into this one with an advantage. Not only from a talent perspective, but also due to their continuity and match fitness. That is why I see them coming away with the win.
UFC 318 is headlined by a rematch between two fighters who have already faced each other twice in their professional careers. Dustin Poirier, after a long and successful UFC run, will take on Max Holloway in what is expected to be his final fight before retiring. Holloway, on the other hand, will be looking to secure his first win over Poirier, who has gotten the better of him in their previous two encounters.
Both fighters are known for their incredible durability and toughness, and even with Holloway coming in as the favorite, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Poirier doesn’t push him to the brink in front of his home crowd one last time. That’s why I believe backing the fight to go the distance is a solid play for this one.