Weekend predictions

Does it actually come much bigger than Saturday? WP vs Lions followed by the Boks vs the All Blacks, with a sneaky Sharks vs Bulls on Friday! All the weekend teams, times, odds, refs and Tank Lanning’s predictions.

Well, this might be a first (in a very long time), and save you the use of a pink ticket … Two Currie Cup matches being played at the same time on Saturday. Be brave, I say, and choose just one of them, without PVR’ing the other … Shame, those poor buggers in Kimberley really will feel left out!

Because you are going to need the PVR for the Argentina game … No good red blooded male should be awake for a 12h40 game after a Bok vs All Black game at Ellis Park at 17h00, especially one as big as this weekend’s game!

So it is post work beers at the pub for the Bulls vs Sharks game, the morning off to go buy that all important bath mat, WP vs the Lions while the fire burns down, as many tjoppies as you can get into your face – right off the braai grid, the Boks vs All Blacks with your feet on the coolerbox and your voice in full song, and then either the Cheetahs or Argentinean game on PVR with koffie and beskuit on Sunday morning! Enjoy …

Friday 04 October

19:10 Blue Bulls vs Sharks. Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

Assistant referees: Quinton Immelman, Attie Buitendag

Television match official: Deon van Blommestein

First round result: Sharks 34 – 18 Blue Bulls

BetFlash odds: Sharks (7/10) to beat Bulls (23/20)

Superbru Community pick: Sharks by 3

My prediction: Blue Bulls by 7

Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jono Ross (captain), 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Wiaan Liebenberg, 5 David Bulbring, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.

Bench: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Dean Greyling, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Jacques Engelbrecht, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Ulrich Beyers, 22 Sampie Mastriet

Sharks: 15. SP Marais, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. Tim Whitehead, 12. Heimar Williams, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Fred Zeilinga, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Keegan Daniel (captain), 7. Jean Deysel, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Stephen Lewies, 4. Peet Marais, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Kyle Cooper 1. Dale Chadwick

Bench: 16. Monde Hadebe, 17. Danie Mienie, 18. Edwin Hewitt, 19. Marcell Coetzee, 20. Charl McLeod, 21. Butch James, 22. Louis Ludik

Saturday 05 October

14:00 Griquas vs Free State, GWK Park, Kimberley

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan

Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Francois de Bruin

Television match official: Gerrie Coetzee

First round result: Free State 40 – 20 Griquas

BetFlash odds: Cheetahs (5/10) to beat Griquas (1.65/1)

Superbru Community pick: Free State by 8

My prediction: Free State by 7

Griquas: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Richard Lawson, 13 JP Nel, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 RJ Liebenberg, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Dalton Davis, 3 Nico Pretorius, 2 Ryno Barnes (captain), 1 Steph Roberts

Bench: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Brummer Badenhorst, 18 Rory Arnold, 19 Patrick O’Brien, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Du Randt Gerber, 22 Jean Stemmet.

Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Piet Lindeque, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Boom Prinsloo (captain),7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Teboho Mohoje, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Schalk van der Merwe

Bench: 16 AJ Le Roux, 17 Rossouw De Klerk, 18 Philip van der Walt, 19 Freddy Ngoza,20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Willie du Plessis, 22 Joubert Engelbrecht

14:00 Western Province vs Golden Lions, Newlands, Cape Town

Referee: Stuart Berry

Assistant referees: Craig Joubert, Marc van Zyl

Television match official: Shaun Veldsman

First round result: Golden Lions 31 – 31 Western Province

BetFlash odds: WP (9/20) to beat Lions (18/10)

Superbru Community pick: WP by 6

My prediction: WP by 7

Western Province: 15. Gio Aplon, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Michael van der Spuy, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Cheslin Kolbe, 10. Demetri Catrakilis, 9. Louis Schreuder, 8. Nizaam Carr, 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 6. Deon Fourie (captain), 5. De Kock Steenkamp, 4. Michael Rhodes, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Scarra Ntubeni, 1. Steven Kitshoff

Bench: 16. Frans Malherbe, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Schalk Burger, 19. Josh Katzen, 20. Nic Groom, 21. Kurt Coleman, 22. Ryan Nell

Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Chrysander Botha, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Lionel Cronjé, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Willie Britz, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, CJ van der Linde

Bench: 16.  Willie Wepener, 17  Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Hugo Kloppers, 19 Warwick Tecklenberg, 20 Ross Cronjé, 21 Kobus de Kock, 22 Deon Helberg

17:00 South Africa vs New Zealand, Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Greg Garner (England)

Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

First round result: New Zealand 29 – 15 South Africa

BetFlash odds: NEW ZEALAND (17/20) to beat South Africa (19/20)

Superbru Community pick: SOUTH AFRICA to beat New Zealand by 4

My prediction: New Zealand by 2

Springboks: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 JJ Engelbrecht/Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Bench: 16, Adriaan Strauss, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Franco van der Merwe, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Jan Serfontein/Juan de Jongh

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock

Bench: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ben Franks, 19 Steven Luatua, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Charles Piutau

Sunday 06 October

00:40 Argentina vs Australia, Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Leighton Hodges (Wales)

Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

First round result: Australia 14 – 13 Argentina

BetFlash odds: AUSTRALIA (17/20) to beat Argentina (19/20)

Superbru Community pick: ARGENTINA to draw with Australia (but 55% call an Argentina win)

My prediction: Australia by 7

Argentina: 15-Juan Martin Hernandez, 14-Horacio Agulla, 13-Marcelo Bosch, 12-Felipe Contepomi, 11-Juan Imhoff, 10-Nicolas Sanchez, 9-Martin Landajo; 8-Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7-Pablo Matera, 6-Juan Fernandez Lobbe (captain), 5-Patricio Albacete, 4-Julio Farias Cabello, 3-Juan Figallo, 2-Eusebio Guinazu, 1-Marcos Ayerza

Bench: 16-Agustin Creevy, 17-Nahuel Lobo, 18-Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19-Manuel Carizza, 20-Benjamín Macome, 21-Tomas Cubelli, 22-Santiago Fernandez, 23-Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino

Australia:  15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Leali’ifano, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben Mowen, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 James Horwill (captain), 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 James Slipper

Bench: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Benn Robinson, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Sitaleki Timani, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Nic White, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Bernard Foley