Wynne Gray: Lack of 'must watch' rugby this weekend

After the Chiefs play the Blues tonight, there's no other matches worth watching this weekend writes Wynne Gray. Photo / Getty

The Chiefs are playing stunning rugby and worth a watch anytime so they'll be in focus for many tonight when they host the Blues.

Then the serious interest in this weekend's seventh round of Super Rugby ends about 9.15pm. That's it.

The rest of the games have a lopsided look, as depicted by the odds, and are late night starts, derbies in South Africa or little drawing power like the Reds.

Waikato Stadium looms as a cracking match to evaluate more New Zealand talent and see if the Chiefs can slice and dice the Blues the way they did last week.

There'll be attention on Chiefs' locks Brodie Retallick and Dominic Bird who return from lengthy injury absences to take over from rookies Michael Allardice and Taleni Seu.

The inexperienced Allardice and Seu were part of a Chiefs pack which stayed with a test-laden Brumbies pack last round and gave the brilliant Chiefs backline possession and room to deliver their up tempo magic.

That was an A-grade demolition and a glowing poster for skill beats brawn posters but will be a tough act for the Chiefs to repeat as the Blues arrive for the derby with more belief after holding out the rugged Jaguares.

Sports followers see this game as a decent contest and the cross-border duel gives spectators and viewers enough to chew on at the start of the seventh round of Super Rugby.

Then the Super whizz bang bang becomes a ho-hum schedule.

Force hosting the Crusaders - dud team and too late; the Stormers-Sunwolves irrelevant; Hurricanes host Jaguares next-best contest; Reds-Highlanders dud side and too late; Sharks-Lions and Kings-Lions local derbies for South Africans.

There's no reason-other than tonight-to stay in for the rugby.

If you need a winter code fix tomorrow and are happy to endure the weather, you could head out to Mt Smart to take in the fitful Warriors when they host Manly.