Super Rugby predictions …

Tank Lanning

To be honest, it’s not an especially enthralling rugby weekend, with many eyes shifting to what Heyneke Meyer is doing on the national front. But the fun thing about that is that every game from now till the England series acts as a bit of a Bok trial for all these players … Might see a little more individualism from here on in …

3 out of 6 for me last weekend, so use these predictions for your SuperBru at your peril my friends …

FRIDAY, APRIL 27

Blues v Reds, Auckland – 09:35
Referee: Craig Joubert (SA)
Assistants: Jonathan Kaplan (SA), Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Both teams off losses, but the Blues was away to the highlanders on their patch, where as the reds took a beating from the travelling Stormers on their own patch. The Brisbane boys welcome back the super talented Digby Ioane, but not sure centre is where it’s at for him. His head to head with the equally talented, yet irritatingly inconsistent Rene Ranger will make for good viewing … I have been burnt so many times by the Blues, and again they are without Mealamu, and Woodcock this week, but they simply have to come good at some stage. This weekend as good as any …

My prediction: Blues by 5

Blues: 15. Hadleigh Parkes, 14. George Moala, 13. Rene Ranger, 12. Ma’a Nonu, 11. Rudi Wulf, 10. Gareth Anscombe, 9. Piri Weepu, 8. Peter Saili, 7. Luke Braid (Captain), 6. Daniel Braid, 5. Ali Williams, 4. Filo Paulo, 3. Charlie Faumuina, 2. Tom McCartney, 1. Tevita Mailau
Bench: 16. James Parsons, 17. Pauliasi Manu, 18. Liaki Moli, 19. Chris Lowrey, 20. Alby Mathewson, 21. Michael Hobbs, 22. Benson Stanley

Reds: 15 Luke Morahan, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Digby Ioane, 12 Mike Harris, 11 Dom Shipperley, 10 Ben Lucas, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Beau Robinson, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 James Slipper, 2 James Hanson, 1 Ben Daley
Bench: 16 Albert Anae, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Adam Wallace-Harrison, 19 Ed Quirk, 20 Jake Schatz, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Anthony Faingaa

—–

Lions v Brumbies, Johannesburg – 19:10
Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand)
Assistants: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Tiaan Jonker (SA)
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee (SA)

Lions back from a bye and at the Coke Can, but against a side who would have built massively in confidence by the Bulls taking their foot off the peddle in the last 20 minutes of the game last weekend. Certainly not Super Rugby royalty, both sides are workmanlike with good coaches, and Jake seems to be shading that battle. Not expecting this to be used in the marketing of the tournament to Rupert Murdoch at the end of the season …

My prediction: Brumbies by 3

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Lionel Mapoe, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Joshua Strauss (captain), 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Caylib Oosthuizen
Bench: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Jacobie Adriaans, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Christo le Roux, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Butch James, 22 Michael Killian

Brumbies: 15. Jesse Mogg, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Andrew Smith, 12. Pat McCabe, 11. Joseph Tomane, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 9. Nic White, 8. Fotu Auelua, 7. Michael Hooper, 6. Peter Kimlin, 5. Leon Power, 4. Scott Fardy, 3. Ben Alexander, 2. Stephen Moore (Captain), 1. Ruaidhri Murphy
Bench: 16. Anthony Hegarty, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Sam Carter, 19. Ita Vaea, 20. Ian Prior, 21. Robbie Coleman, 22. Tevita Kuridrani

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SATURDAY, APRIL 28

Chiefs v Hurricanes, Hamilton – 09:35
Referee: Jonathon White (New Zealand)
Assistants: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Nick Briant (New Zealand)
TMO: Shane McDermott (New Zealand)

Game of the weekend alert! Admittedly in a relatively dull weekend … And the Canes are going to need to do a whole lot more than they did against the Saders last weekend to contribute. Cannot go too far wrong with the Smith vs Kahui, Jane vs Nani-Williams and Barrett vs Cruden match ups though. Throw in try scoring machine Taumalolo and SBW and I am going home side in what will hopefully be an entertaining encounter …

My prediction: Chiefs by 9

Chiefs: 15 Andrew Horrell, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Tim Nani-Williams, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Alex Bradley, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke (captain), 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Arizona Taumalolo.
Bench: 16 Mahonri Schwalger, 17 Toby Smith, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Augustine Pulu, 21 Jackson Willison, 22 Asaeli Tikoirotuma.

Hurricanes: 15 Andre Taylor, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Karl Lowe, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ben May
Bench: 16 Motu Matu’u, 17 Reg Goodes, 18 Mark Reddish, 19 Jack Lam, 20 Chris Eaton, 21 Charlie Ngatai, 22 Alapati Leiua.

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Force v Stormers, Perth – 11:40
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
Assistants: James Leckie (Australia), Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)
TMO: Steve Lesczcynski (Australia)

Ambulance alert! Stormers now suffering an injury list to match any time out there, and it’s the last game on what has been a pretty good, but long, tour. The Tweets from the players suggest that Perth has been really good to them. Not a bad thing when it is about morale rather than physical training. Pocock vs Kolisi will have me reaching for a Blackie, even before the Boeing makes it’s appearance, while I think the much talked about matchup between Sharpe and Bekker will be a non-event, the latter being streets ahead … Will be keeping an eye on Nizaam Carr, who I think is a star in the making, but not massive on Habana in 13. Would have preferred to see JP du Plessis get a start. But the walking wounded should still be too good for the Force …

My prediction: Stormers by 12

Force: Alfie Mafi, Rory Sidey, Nick Cummins, Winston Stanley, Napolioni Nalaga, David Harvey, Brett Sheehan, Ben McCalman, David Pocock (capt), Matt Hodgson, Nathan Sharpe, Toby Lynn, Salesi Ma’afu, Nathan Charles, Pek Cowan.
Bench: Elvis Taione, Salesi Manu, Phoenix Battye, Richard Brown, Josh Holmes, Ben Seymour, Samu Wara

Stormers: 15. Joe Pietersen, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Bryan Habana, 12. Juan de Jongh, 11. Danie Poolman, 10. Peter Grant, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Nizaam Carr, 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 6. Siya Kolisi, 5. Andries Bekker (captain), 4. De Kock Steenkamp, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Tiaan Liebenberg, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Bench: 16. Scarra Ntubeni, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Don Armand, 19. Deon Fourie, 20. Louis Schreuder, 21. Burton Francis, 22. JP du Plessis

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Cheetahs v Highlanders, Bloemfontein – 17:05
Referee: Marius Jonker (SA)
Assistants: Sindile Mayende (SA), Stefan Breytenbach (SA)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SA)

Bata Toughie of the weekend … Cheetahs off a bye, playing at home, playing against a seriously top class side, but in their first game on tour and having just got past the Blues in a relatively spiteful match last weekend. I love what the Cheetahs have done this year and in Ebersohn, Le Roux, Goosen, Van der Walt, Brussow, Nel, Strauss and Oosthuizen they have some real Bok contenders – and deservedly so. The Mackintosh lead Landers will be a tough nut to crack, but I am backing Brussow to get the better of Thompson and thus tip the scales … Just!

My prediction: Cheetahs by 2

Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Cameron Jacobs, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Bench: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 George Earle, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman.

Highlanders: TBA

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SUNDAY, APRIL 29

Waratahs v Crusaders, Sydney – 08:10
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (SA)
Assistants: Craig Joubert (SA), Andrew Lees (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)

For an Aussie side this Tahs lot are not half bad, but like the Blues, you never know what is going to arrive each weekend. They gave the Rebels an unconvincing smack last weekend, but this weekend they will have to up their game significantly if they want to trouble the Saders, who dispatched the Canes with ridiculous ease last weekend. Berrick Barnes is a good player, but I would have him at flyhalf and not at fullback. Hell of a welcome for Rocky Elsom, who will need to tame Matt Todd in the first half, and then Doc McCaw in the second. Has potential to be a cracker!

My prediction: Crusaders by 7

Waratahs: 15. Berrick Barnes, 14. Tom Kingston, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12. Tom Carter, 11. Afa Pakalani, 10. Daniel Halangahu, 9. Brendan McKibbin, 8. Wycliff Palu, 7. Rocky Elsom, 6. Dave Dennis, 5. Kane Douglas, 4. Dean Mumm, 3. Sekope Kepu, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson (Captain)
Bench: 16. John Ulugia, 17. Jeremy Tilse, 18. Sitaleki Timani, 19. Lopeti Timani, 20. Jono Jenkins, 21. Sarel Pretorius, 22. Peter Betham

Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Adam Whitelock, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Dan Carter, Zac 11 Guildford, 10 Tom Taylor, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Luke Romano, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Ben Franks
Bench: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Samuel Whitelock, 19 Richie McCaw, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Ryan Crotty, 22 Tom Marshall

Got to love Sunday ruckby, and with there being no Aus derbies to give you a free period, spreading the 6 games over 3 days makes the pink ticket earning just a smidgeon easier … Lions and Cheetahs with cold beverages for sure, while Stormers might also having you dipping into that cooler box …

Enjoy …