ITM Cup Round 7 - Home Teams On Top

The seventh round of the ITM Cup saw plenty of tries as well as a few upsets, making it another exciting weekend of action.

The general theme was teams becoming difficult to beat at home, however much the perceived difference in class between them and their opponents.

So, perhaps the best idea to gain places in the SuperBru Conferences is to back the teams at home to produce upsets, rather than aiming for upsets in every game.

Auckland beat Canterbury 39-19, an emphatic win silencing their critics to go third in the table. This was something of a rare defeat for Canterbury, who rarely go down by so many points.

"While Southland stole my heart by surprising the Stagnation and Otago with their running rugby game at Forsyth Barr for Southland legend Whoppa's 100th game, it was the only away upset of the round," Scott Donaldson, Talking Rugby Union's New Zealand rugby correspondent added.

"Less than 10 percent of SuperBru tipsters picked the men in maroon to upset their neighbours."

There was another upset when Manuwatu beat Taranaki 12-6 at home and the upsets were just rewards for some of the best fans in the country.

Wellington and Counties both won away but were made to work hard. Tasman beat Northland by 15 points which was the biggest away win of the round.

Donaldson adds: "Canterbury and Hawkes Bay secured massive wins at home, but as Canterbury showed in ITM Cup Round 7 it can be difficult to back up a big win, the next game. 

"They lacked intensity against Auckland and as a Stags supporter I am hoping the Magpies lack the intensity heading down to Invercargill."