Yates Baker McLean is counting on Paul's tipping prowess

WITH kick-off in the 2013 Super Rugby season just one sleep away, the team at Yates Baker McLean is unleashing its secret weapon.

The Orange accounting and business advisors are tackling the Central Western Daily’s Super Rugby tipping competition this winter, and with Paul Centofanti in charge of the tips for the upcoming season, the team believes its on to a winning formula.

Ahead of tomorrow night’s Melbourne Rebels and Western Force season opener, Mr Centofanti said his side was gunning for the win.

“Yes, definitely,” he enthused.

“We normally share [the tipping] around between all the staff members, but the secret weapon is me.

“I just go for the home teams, and a few favourites.

“We went alright at it last year.”

A Waratahs fan, Mr Centofanti believes unlike his tipping super-team, the NSW-based rugby club will struggle throughout its 2013 campaign.

That’s even with the inclusion of code-hopper Israel Folau

He said even after Folau’s signing made the Waratahs backline one of the best in the Australian conference, it won’t matter with a weak forward pack.

“I think they’ll probably be around mid-table,” he said, with the Chiefs still the favourites among bookies to make it back-to-back crowns in 2013.

The Waratahs don’t open the 2013 campaign until next Saturday night, at Suncorp Stadium against the Reds.

Centofanti was looking forward to the season ahead, particularly the Australian conference games.

He cites the competition’s vastness - games are played from Auckland, New Zealand, through to Bloemfontein, South Africa, on any given weekend - as one of the reasons why Super Rugby is the best provincial competition in the world.

It makes it tough to follow every team though.

“I try and follow the Australia teams when they’re on telly, but it’s hard following the overseas sides,” Mr Centofanti said.

The Super Rugby season starts tomorrow night.

The tipsters in the Central Western Daily tipping competition appear every Thursday.