Western Force vs Highlanders Prediction: Which team will bounce back to winning ways?

In round 8 of the Super Rugby Pacific, Western Force will play Highlanders at HBF Park. The two teams are coming off a defeat and will hope for a win here. How will this game unfold? Below, I look into the analysis of this game and offer predictions.

Western Force

Western Force played the Reds the previous weekend and suffered a defeat. In what was a close contest, Western Force settled for a 21-21 draw in the first half but then lost 7-3 in the second half. In the meantime, Western Force have struggled in recent matches with just one win against Fijian Drua in that run. In other matches, Western Force lost to Reds, Waratahs and Crusaders. Ahead of this game, Western Force sit in 6th place with 15 points from seven matches.

Highlanders

Highlanders played Brumbies the previous week, and they lost. In a 34-27 close contest, the Highlanders had a poor first-half performance that saw them score only five points, and despite winning 19-22 in the second half, it was not enough to overturn their deficit. In the meantime, Highlanders have lost their last three matches, two against the Reds and the Hurricanes. Ahead of this game, the Highlanders have two wins in their first six games of the season, coming against Moana Pasifika and the Blues.

Expert Betting Tips

Western Force will get the job done in this game, and I expect them to dominate. While the Highlanders have been struggling lately, the Western Force have not been exceptional either. This will be a closely contested game, but at home, I believe Highlanders will struggle. Also, with the two teams expected to focus on avoiding a defeat, a bet on few points is another option to consider.

Our first option is a win for Western Force with odds at 1.64 on 1Xbet

Our second option is under 59.5 points with odds at 1.91 on Bet365

Our last option is the away team under 27.5 points with odds at 1.91 on Betway