Weekend predictions

Nic Groom is back for WP, a few Boks are back, and we have the Jantjies showdown in Joburg. All the weekend’s teams, times, refs, odds and Tank Lanning’s predictions.

Saturday afternoon rugby again! And with no Boks on display, it makes for some pretty simple pink ticket utilisation. Friday evening at a pub for the WP game, kids to the local playzone on Saturday morning while you check your Superbru and make your afternoon bets, Sharks while the fire burns down with beer in hand, and the trans Jukskei derby with a rare rump steak straight off the coals and onto the plate on your lap! Beautiful!

It gives me great pleasure to welcome BetFlash as a partner to the Grunt’s weekend predictions. Always looking to make sports betting easier, these predictions will now include their odds for every game, and a link to their site, where it is a pretty simple to put your money where your mouth is!

Friday 20 September

19:10 Western Province vs Griquas, Newlands, Cape Town

Referee: Lourens van der Merwe

Assistants: Jonathan Kaplan, Marc van Zyl

TMO: Shaun Veldsman

First Round Result: Griquas 19-20 WP

Last year’s results: Griquas 20-25 WP, WP 45-21 Griquas

Head to head since 2010: Played 8, Western Province have won7, and there has been 1 draw.

Not even a red card could stop the mountain goats at Loftus last week. They really have hit a rich vein of form. Scarra Ntubeni has been exceptional, and now this week they have Nic Groom back, and he adds massively to the collective. Damian De Allende vs Howard Mnisi should be good: These 2 number twelves have been the form centres of the competition. De Allende’s pace and strength in the tackle vs Mnisi’s slick handling skills and power … Cheslin Kolbe’s Agility and Pace vs Nico Scheepers’ Strength and Power! It will be interesting to see who prevails in this clash. Even in the rain, I think Kolbe will take it. And up front, it is the clash of the 2 packs who have best come to terms with the new call. Steven Kitshoff vs Nick Schonert is worthy of denting that couch. More changes for the visitors as their depth is tested, but you just never know with Griquas though, and at 63/10, it might just be worth a little dabble.

Superbru community pick: WP by 11

Betflash odds: WP (1/14) to hammer Griquas (63/10)

My prediction: WP by 19

Western Province: 15. Gio Aplon, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Cheslin Kolbe, 10. Kurt Coleman, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Nizaam Carr, 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 6. Rohan Kitshoff, 5. De Kock Steenkamp (captain), 4. Taz Fuzani, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Scarra Ntubeni, 1. Steven Kitshoff

Bench: 16. Michael Willemse, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Gerbrandt Grobler, 19. Rayn Smid, 20. Josh Katzen, 21. Louis Schreuder, 22. Demetri Catrakilis

Griquas: 15. Gouws Prinsloo, 14. Nico Scheepers, 13. Jean Stemmet, 12. Howard Mnisi, 11. Rocco Jansen, 10. Francois Brummer, 9. Jacques Coetzee, 8. Leon Karemaker, 7. Burger Schoeman, 6. Marnus Schoeman, 5. Jaco Nepgen, 4. Rory Arnold, 3. Nick Schonert, 2. Ryno Barnes   (Captain), 1. Steph Roberts

Bench: 16. Matthew Dobson, 17. Brummer Badenhorst, 18. Patrick O’Brien, 19. RJ Liebenberg, 20. Marnus Hugo, 21. Du Randt Gerber, 22. Richard Lawson

Saturday 21 September

15:00 Sharks vs Free State, Kings Park, Durban

Referee: Marius Jonker

Assistants: Tiaan Jonker, Reuben Rossouw

TMO: Deon Van Blommestein

First Round Result: Cheetahs 15-18 Sharks

Last year’s Results: Sharks 34-32 Cheetahs, Cheetahs 30-37 Sharks

Head to head since 2010: Played 8, Sharks have won 7, Cheetahs 1

Both teams were not special last week, but the Sharks take the cake in that department. In Kimberley, they were positively dreadful! In what will no doubt be another bum squeaker of a game, the difference may well be in the quality of the kickers! Both Fred Zeilinga vs Riaan Smit can slot goals and are solid under pressure! Smit’s kick last week won his side the game in the dying minutes, whilst Fred Zeilinga has that youthful fearlessness and has proved in the past he can handle life in the top flight. Good to see Pieter-Steph Du Toit back, but understandably, he was fairly invisible last week. This weekend he is up against the also returning Lood de Jager. Neither scrum has impressed this season, so both lineout jumpers will be looking to secure balls that will allow their sides to win the much talked about “go forward ball”.

Superbru community pick: Sharks by 4

Betflash odds: Sharks (5/10) to beat Cheetahs (33/20)

My Prediction: Sharks by 2

Sharks: 15. SP Marais 14. Odwa Ndungane 13. Tim Whitehead 12. Heimar Williams 11. Lwazi Mvovo 10. Fred Zeilinga 9. Charl McLeod 8. Keegan Daniel (Capt) 7. Tera Mtembu 6. Marcell Coetzee 5. Pieter-Steph du Toit 4. Peet Marais 3. Wiehahn Herbst 2. Kyle Cooper 1. Dale Chadwick

Bench: 16. Monde Hadebe 17. Rayno Gerber 18. Edwin Hewitt 19. Brynard Stander 20. Cobus Reinach 21. Butch James 22. Jaco van Tonder

Free State: 15. Hennie Daniller, 14.Riaan Smit, 13. Johann Sadie, 12. Robert Ebersohn, 11. Raymond Rhule, 10. Elgar Watts, 9. Sarel Pretorius, 8. Davon Raubenheimer, 7. Lappies Labuschagne, 6. Boom Prinsloo (captain), 5. Waltie Vermeulen, 4. Lood de Jager, 3. Rossouw de Klerk, 2. Hercu Liebenberg, 1. Trevor Nyakane.

Bench: 16. AJ le Roux, 17. Schalk van der Merwe, 18. Teboho Mohoje, 19. Philip van der Walt, 20. Piet van Zyl, 21. Ryno Benjamin, 22. Willie du Plessis.

17:05 Golden Lions vs Blue Bulls, Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Referee: Stuart Berry

Assistants: Ben Crouse, Cobus Wessels

TMO: Tappe Henning

First Round Result: Bulls 23-62 Lions

Lat year’s Results: Bulls 23-32 Lions, Lions 29-50 Bulls

Head to Head since 2010 in the Currie Cup: Played 8, Bulls 5, Lions 3

Tony Jantjies vs Elton Jantjies (now committed to the Lions for the next few years) is an obviously notable head to head, but for me, more because Handre Pollard will not be playing for the Bulls. He seems to have added a little structure and confidence to the Pretoria boys. But on Saturday we will see what would have previously been a back yard scrap in the garden, develop into a closely fought battle at the top level. They both posses similar attributes, but Elton seems to have matured from his experience in the Bok set up and a season in Super Rugby, his younger brother has shown potential in recent weeks to match his brothers achievements. He will have to make his case come Saturday! Apart from the Bulls no doubt seeking retribution for that mauling a few weeks ago, the last three games have been won by the away side, and who am I to argue with history? At 15/10, it may well be worth a flutter!

Superbru Community pick: Lions by 4

Beflash Odds: Lions (11/20) to beat the Blue Bulls (15/10)

My Prediction: Bulls by 5

Lions: 15 Marnitz Boshoff, 14 Andries Coetzee, 13 Deon Helberg, 12 Dylan des Fountain, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Derick Minnie (captain), 7 Warwick Tecklenberg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 CJ van der Linde

Bench: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Chris van Zyl, 19 Lambert Groenewald, 20 Guy Cronjé, 21 Lionel Cronjé, 22 Ruhan Nel

Blue Bulls: 15. Clayton Blommetjies, 14. Akona Ndungane, 13. Ulrich Beyers, 12. Francois Venter, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10. Tony Jantjies, 9. Rudy Paige, 8. Jono Ross (captain), 7. Jacques du Plessis, 6. Wiaan Liebenberg, 5. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4. Paul Willemse, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Bandise Maku, 1. Morne Mellett.

Bench: 16. Jaco Visagie, 17. Frik Kirsten, 18. Grant Hattingh, 19. Jacques Engelbrecht, 20. Lohan Jacobs, 21. William Small-Smith, 22. Jurgen Visser.

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