Cape Town - Despite the Crusaders losing out on a Super Rugby home semi-final, Sport24 readers have backed them to win this year's competition.
According to the Sport24 homepage poll, more than a third of readers said the Crusaders would emerge as Super Rugby victors - which would represent their eighth title - with the Blue Bulls a close second with 32%.
The bookies, however, backed the Chiefs to win the competition, listing them as 9/4 favourites, followed by the Bulls at 5/2 and the Crusaders at 3/1.
The poor finish to the season by the three teams at the top of the table - the Chiefs, Bulls and Brumbies - has seen fans tip the Cantabrians for their first Super Rugby title since the competition was expanded to include 15 teams in 2011.
The Bulls and the Brumbies both finished the regular Super Rugby season with disappointing losses to the Stormers and Rebels respectively, and while the Chiefs won their last fixture against the Blues a week earlier, they were thumped in a convincing 43-15 loss to the Crusaders the week prior.
The Crusaders are currently on a four-game unbeaten streak as they prepare to take on the Reds in Christchurch this weekend (Saturday, July 20 at 09:35 SA time).
Sport24 asked: "Of the six remaining teams in Super Rugby, who are most likely to emerge as victors?"
These were the results:
39% - Crusaders
32% - Bulls
15% - Chiefs
9% - Cheetahs
4% - Brumbies
1% - Reds
Crusaders to win it? (Gallo Images)
According to the Sport24 homepage poll, more than a third of readers said the Crusaders would emerge as Super Rugby victors - which would represent their eighth title - with the Blue Bulls a close second with 32%.
The bookies, however, backed the Chiefs to win the competition, listing them as 9/4 favourites, followed by the Bulls at 5/2 and the Crusaders at 3/1.
The poor finish to the season by the three teams at the top of the table - the Chiefs, Bulls and Brumbies - has seen fans tip the Cantabrians for their first Super Rugby title since the competition was expanded to include 15 teams in 2011.
The Bulls and the Brumbies both finished the regular Super Rugby season with disappointing losses to the Stormers and Rebels respectively, and while the Chiefs won their last fixture against the Blues a week earlier, they were thumped in a convincing 43-15 loss to the Crusaders the week prior.
The Crusaders are currently on a four-game unbeaten streak as they prepare to take on the Reds in Christchurch this weekend (Saturday, July 20 at 09:35 SA time).
Sport24 asked: "Of the six remaining teams in Super Rugby, who are most likely to emerge as victors?"
These were the results:
39% - Crusaders
32% - Bulls
15% - Chiefs
9% - Cheetahs
4% - Brumbies
1% - Reds
Crusaders to win it? (Gallo Images)