After the joy of the GSP comes the despair and ignominy of a “3 from 7” weekend for Grunt editor Tank Lanning. Use these predictions for your SuperBru at your peril!
Sharks on Twitter at the office, Cheetahs with as many beers as you can get into your face at the local, Stormers paying for your Friday night sins on a gym bike at the local Virgin Active, and Kings with a strong Cane and Crème Soda to numb the pain while the fire burns down …
Forget Mothers Day on Sunday at your peril …
Friday 10 May
09:35 Chiefs vs Force, ECOlight Stadium, Pukekohe
Referee: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
After starting so well, the Chiefs have been seriously iffy of late, and now start with a brand new centre pairing and Gareth Anscombe at flyhalf instead of fullback. This while the Force are coming off a bloody good draw against the Reds, probably a game they should have won. But this is a game between the top placed Kiwi side against the bottom places Aussie side in New Zealand, and I do not see the upset happening in this game.
My prediction: Chiefs by 9
Chiefs: 15 Robbie Robinson, Lelia Masaga, Save Tokula, 13 Bundee Aki, Patrick Osborne, 10 Gareth Anscombe, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Matt Vant Leven, Sam Cane, Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, Craig Clarke (c), 3 Ben Afeaki, Hika Elliot, Toby Smith.
Bench: Mahonri Schwalger, Ben Tameifuna, Mike Fitzgerald, Tanerau Latimer, August Pulu, Aaron Cruden, Asaeli Tikoirotuma.
Force: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Patrick Dellit, 13 Ben Jacobs, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Matt Hodgson (captain), 5 Sam Wykes, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Heath Tessmann, 1 Pek Cowan.
Bench: 6 James Hilterbrand, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Rory Walton, 19 Richard Brown, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 Junior Rasolea, 22 Sam Norton-Knight.
11:40 Reds vs Sharks, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
AR’s: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia), Graham Cooper (Australia)
TMO: Steve Leszczynski (Australia)
There is a better balance to the Sharks loose trio, they have a good half back pairing, and in Herbst and Van Rensburg they have a front row that need not stand back for anyone. But an injury list the length of the morons queuing for a free Whopper at Burger King sees Pietersen moving to centre and Tukkies centre Piet Lindeque back on the wing. Up against a backline being put away by the best half back pairing in the tournament! A 5 forward bench with some serious chunks of meat on it, including Willem Alberts, suggests a blunt hammer approach, while the Reds will be doing the exact opposite, at home.
My prediction: Reds by 6
Reds: 15 Jono Lance, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia (captain), 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Eddie Quirk, 5 Ed O’Donoghue, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 James Slipper, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Greg Holmes.
Bench: 16 James Hanson, 17 Albert Anae, 18 Adam Wallace-Harrison, 19 Jarrad Butler, 20 Beau Robinson, 21 Ben Lucas, 22 Ben Tapuai.
Sharks: 15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. Piet Lindeque, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Keegan Daniel (captain), 7. Jean Deysel, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Kyle Cooper, 1. JC Janse van Rensburg
Bench: 16. Monde Hadebe, 17. Jannie du Plessis, 18. Anton Bresler, 19. Derick Minnie, 20. Willem Alberts, 21. Tian Meyer, 22. Odwa Ndungane
19:10 Cheetahs vs Hurricanes, Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
AR’s: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), Francois de Bruin (South Africa)
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee (South Africa)
While the Cheetahs were tanning a chop in the Bloemfontein botanical gardens, the Canes were being thoroughly thumped by the Bulls in Pretoria. And deservedly so given the ineptness of the performance. But is week two of the tour now, and they should be slightly better settled. But sans the concussed genius that is Conrad Smith in the centres, against Sadie and Ebersohn, who have a pack that can now mix with the best of them, I cannot see them pulling it together well enough to beat the home side. Watch for a feisty little battle in the tight/loose between Coennie and Ben Franks, who has been on the very i=edge of legality in the last 2 games!
My prediction: Cheetahs by 7
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 Johan Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Burton Francis, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Phillip van der Walt, 7 Frans Viljoen, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuisen
Bench: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Landman Ligtoring, 19 Boom Prinsloo, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Elgar Watts, 22 Ryno Benjamin
Hurricanes: 15 Andre Taylor/James Marshall, 14 Alapati Leiua, 13 Reynold Lee-Lo, 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito (c), 7 Jack Lam/Karl Lowe, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Ben May, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Ben Franks.
Bench: 16 Reggie Goodes, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 James Broadhurst, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Tusi Pisi, 22 James Marshall/Karl Lowe.
Saturday 11 May
09:35 Blues vs Rebels, Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
The Blues can beat any side on their day, but they trouble is, they can also lose to any side on their off-day. This while you never know if the Rebels or Rabble are going to pitch on match day. I am going to hazard a guess at Champagne Blue vs Rabble Rebels …
My prediction: Blues by 24
Blues: 15 Charles Piutau,14 Frank Halai, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Francis Saili, 11 George Moala, 10 Chris Noakes, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Brendon O’Connor , 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Ali Williams (c), 4 Anthony Boric, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Quentin MacDonald, 1 Tim Perry.
Bench: 16 Gafatasi Su’a, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Ronald Raaymakers, 19 Luke Braid, 20 Jamison Gibson-Park, 21 Baden Kerr, 22 Lolagi Visinia.
Rebels: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Tom English, 13 Mitch Inman, 12 Lachie Mitchell, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 James O’Connor, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Scott Higginbotham (captain), 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Jarrod Saffy, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Hugh Pyle, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Nic Henderson.
Bench: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Paul Alo-Emile, 18 Luke Jones, 19 Gareth Delve, 20 Nic Stirzaker, 21 Angus Roberts, 22 Bryce Hegarty.
11:40 Waratahs vs Stormers, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
AR’s: Andrew Lees (Australia), James Leckie (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Fordis! Not sure it comes any tighter than this … Allister Coetzee has kept changes to a minimum with the only change to the run in XV being Eben Etzebeth coming in for the injured De Kock Steenkamp, which is unlikely to weaken the side … But the big call is keeping Gary van Aswegen at flyhalf ahead of Elton Jantjies. The former has a precision pass, but tends to take a step or two before delivering it, while Jantjies has proven to be defensively frail. Together with the plethora of mistakes, the Stormers kicking game was also left wanting last weekend, and against the Tahs, the form side of the tournament, that will need to change, lest they want Isreal Folau in their faces all afternoon! But it is up front where Malherbe and Kitshoff are going to have to front against the best scrumming side in the tournament! Throw in the fact that the Tahs have travelled back from SA, and it is a seriously tough pick …
My prediction: Stormers by 2
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Cam Crawford, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Rob Horne, 11 Peter Betham, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Brendan McKibbin, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis (captain), 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Bench: 16 John Ulugia, 17 Paddy Ryan, 18 Will Skelton, 19 Mitchell Chapman, 20 Pat McCutcheon, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Berrick Barnes, 23 Drew Mitchell.
Stormers: 15. Joe Pietersen, 14. Gio Aplon, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Jean de Villiers (captain), 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Gary van Aswegen, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 6. Siya Kolisi, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Bench: 16. Scarra Ntubeni, 17. Pat Cilliers, 18. Don Armand, 19. Nizaam Carr, 20. Louis Schreuder, 21. Elton Jantjies, 22. Gerhard van den Heever
17:05 Kings vs Highlanders, NMB Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Jason Jaftha (South Africa)
AR’s: Sindile Mayende (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
TMO: Johann Meuwessen (South Africa)
And the bubble has burst … Admittedly against the form side of the tournament, but even before the game started, the slew of empty orange seats seem to indicate that the passion and guts fuelling the new boys was heading toward that big “E” on the tank. Against fellow bottom feeder, the Highlanders, who have travelled, one might be inclined to suggest a Kings win in PE. But the Landers are off their first win – against the Sharks – and seem to be a side on the up, while the Kings implosion against the Tahs suggests side on the slide …
My prediction: Highlanders by 12
Kings: 15 George Whitehead, 14 Marcello Sampson, 13 Ronnie Cooke, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Siyanda Grey, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Cornell du Preez, 7 Wimpie van der Walt, 6 Luke Watson (captain), 5 David Bulbring, 4 Steven Sykes 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Schalk Ferreira
Bench: 16 Virgile Lacombe, 17 Grant Kemp, 18 Daniel Adongo, 19 Devin Oosthuizen, 20 Nicolas Vergallo, 21 Shane Gates, 22 SP Marais
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Tino Nemani, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Shaun Treeby, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 TJ Ioane, 7 John Hardie, 6 Jarrad Hoeata, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Chris King, 2 Andrew Hore (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Bench: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Ma’afu Fia, 18 Mose Tuiali’i, 19 Joe Wheeler, 20 Fumiaka Tanaka, 21 Hayden Parker, 22 Jason Emery.
