This Coming Weekend’s Best Bets

The regular season is coming to an end very quickly, and both of these teams will be putting in last-ditch efforts to either make the playoffs or, in Hawke’s Bay’s case, fight for ladder supremacy. This means we should see some all-out efforts come Thursday evening from both sides and their star players.

What makes this an interesting matchup is the fact that both sides tend to be involved in high-scoring games. From an attacking standpoint, both teams have shown plenty of flair, but they have also been prone to leaking points. Auckland’s last four games are a clear example of this, with the team failing to hold their opponents under 29 points in three of those outings. However, it hasn’t stopped them from scoring either, as they managed to put up 52 points in a single 80-minute period in one of those matches.

Looking at the two line-ups to see if any game-breakers are available, they certainly tick that box. Auckland have Xavi Taele, AJ Lam, Caleb Tangitau and Xavier Tito-Harris, who are some of the most explosive players in the country. The Magpies do not lack any firepower themselves, with names like Zarn Sullivan, Harry Godfrey, Folau Fakatava and Devan Flanders leading their attacking unit.

For this one, I really like the adjusted overs. It is clear both teams can score plenty, and with the game coming off a short week, there is a good chance fatigue sets in during the latter stages. That could open up more space and lead to a higher-scoring second half.

As mentioned in the intro, we have the competition that makes the golf world stop and stare every two years on deck: the Ryder Cup. This year, it will be hosted by the USA at the infamous Bethpage Black Golf Course, located in Long Island, New York. This follows a spectacular showing from the European side, led by returning captain Luke Donald, who last time thrived off the atmosphere and spice that came with the off-course antics.

The question is, will the USA be able to defend home turf, or will Europe’s dominance from 2023 carry over to the newest edition of the heralded three-day competition?

There are two differences between the sides that could lead one to victory when deciphering the showdown on US soil. For the home side, that factor goes by the name of Scottie Scheffler, who openly admits he is not in love with the game himself, but that has not stopped him from being the undisputed best player on the planet right now. He is of an ilk that only a few legends have ever displayed in terms of class, and he could no doubt be the deciding factor for the USA if he plays lights out and the rest of the team can just hold up their end of the bargain.

For Europe, they have an absurd amount of experience, with half of their team already having three Ryder Cup appearances. That means no matter what the American crowd throws at them, there should be no concerns about how they will handle any adversity. Furthermore, the two spiritual leaders of the team, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, were part of the last side to win on opposing soil, when Europe took out the 2012 version at the Medinah Country Club.

With so much of the home side’s hope leaning on one player, and Europe boasting a team with continuity and vast experience, I would be hard pressed to bet against them. That is why I have the visitors causing the upset and becoming the first team in 13 years to win away from home.

I have never seen an All Blacks side get the breaks beaten off them like I did last time out against South Africa, and what was even more disheartening was that it looked like they flat out gave up during the Boks’ onslaught. With a week off and time to take a good, long, hard internal look at the execution of their play, I would expect a much better performance this weekend at Eden Park.

Just playing better doesn’t guarantee a win against Australia these days, who have turned a page back towards rugby union relevance under their new leadership group and coach. Plus, sprinkle in a couple of all-world talents like Joseph Sua’ali’i and Fraser McReight, and there are some real game-breaking players wearing gold in the year 2025.

However, looking at the All Blacks side, I really like the team that Razor has selected. A solid forward pack, an exciting pair of wingers, and then impact off the bench from the likes of Peter Lakai, Damian McKenzie and Samisoni Taukei’aho should really help shut down that late second-half surge the Wallabies tend to have.

With that said, there’s the Eden Park curse that Australia will have to try and overcome in this one, and potentially an All Blacks side who are the most wounded we’ve seen in a long time from an ego standpoint. Considering all of this, even after the knockout blow they endured against South Africa, the All Blacks should be able to retain the Bledisloe Cup in what I expect to be a tightly contested bout come Saturday evening.

The big game of college football this weekend will see two powerhouse programmes face off in a clash that will reveal the true level of both sides this season. Dan Lanning and his Oregon Ducks will travel across the to Beaver Stadium for their showdown with James Franklin and the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Both teams have looked like top contenders nationally, which is reflected in their AP Poll rankings, with both sitting inside the top six in the FBS. What will be interesting is how they piece it all together, as this will be the first real test of the season for each side.

Looking at some of the talent on display, there are two potential first-round quarterbacks in Dante Moore and Drew Allar, both looking to drive up their draft stock. Surrounding them are plenty of other names who will be playing on Sundays, with Oregon boasting some freakish athletes like Keyon Sadiq and Mateo Uiagalelei. On the other side of the ledger, Penn State will be hoping their stars, like Dani Dennis-Sutton and Nicholas Singleton, can dominate in their roles.

Taking all of that into account, I wanted to pick an outright winner. No doubt this will be a close one, likely coming down to which quarterback can make the most plays. For me, that guy is Dante Moore for Oregon. Even though this is his first big road game and it is a Penn State whiteout, I think he has the goods to pull it off on the weighty downs.

The NFL season roars on, and we are starting to see some teams make big changes after poor starts and early-season plans falling apart. One of those teams is the New York Giants. Outside of a few of their pass rushers and Sophomore Malik Nabers, they once again resemble a turnstile.

In response, the Giants’ brains trust has pulled the biggest lever they had up their sleeve in an effort to save their jobs this year. That move is starting rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. The Ole Miss product has some solid tools as a player, but what has really stood out is the moxie he carries himself with. He clearly does not lack confidence and has seemingly earned serious respect in the locker room throughout the preseason process.

However, his debut will come against one of the best-coached defences in the NFL. Jessie Minter’s Los Angeles Chargers are currently the seventh-ranked defence overall from an EPA per play standpoint. They have produced suffocating performances against teams like the Raiders and Broncos, who both have more experienced coaching staffs and quarterbacks under centre that what the Giants boast.

If I were part of the Giants’ coaching staff, I would probably say it is a week too early to throw Dart into the fire. The last thing you want for an unpolished rookie quarterback is for him to debut against a defence that creates chaos through its schemes and constantly changes the picture he is seeing. That is why I do not believe the Giants will reach 20 points against the Chargers.