The Newshub sport office has not been a particularly fun work environment this week because of one individual: Ollie Ritchie.
The diehard Crusaders fan somehow mustered a pretty good weekend with his picks backing his red and blacks to smash the Hurricanes – which they did.
Ritchie was prancing around the office with a sickening, vomit inducing swag, reminiscent of Will Carling from 1998 post drawing with the All Blacks.
Ritchie jumped Ross Karl and Andrew Gourdie for the season lead, but as Karl has reminded us all week – 'It's a marathon not a sprint fellas."
Ritchie has again backed his Crusaders 13-plus against an improving Reds side. His big call this week though will ultimately lead to his downfall. Ritchie has foolishly backed the Blues to topple the Jaguares in Buenos Aires. That's about as likely as Japan beating the Springboks at a World Cup. Oh wait a sec.
Karl has cut quite the frustrated figure this week, questioning the competition commissioner over the points structure.
While he didn't cave – the commissioner has acknowledged the tough task in picking both the winner and the margin so if our tippers can achieve a perfect weekend they will earn five bonus points.
This weekend is very much a moving one with five games in play and just eight-points separating top from bottom.
A perfect weekend for Kristina Eddy could just be the tonic we all need in the office and temporarily qualm the attitude of Mr. Ritchie.
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 three:
Hurricanes vs Brumbies, Rebels vs Highlanders, Reds vs Crusaders, Chiefs vs Sunwolves, Jaguares vs Blues.
*Margin is based on the classic 12-under or 13-plus format.
Newshub.
