Peter Grant at fullback for Stormers, Tim Swiel at flyhalf for Sharks, monster back row back for Bulls and Brussow back for the Cheetahs. All the teams, times, venues, refs and Tank’s predictions.
All 5 SA sides in the mix normally means a tough pink ticket distribution weekend, but in a fairly manageable 6 game weekend, we have 2 Currie Cup type derbies (oh the joy), meaning you only need to use up 3 pink tickets this weekend. And because we have none of that Saturday 19h00 game nonsense, you might even be around for that pre-Easter Bunny braai with the neighbours on Saturday night!
Canes vs Blues should provide a try or two that will be watching, and you do not even need to fake a dentist appointment to watch it! Perhaps Rebels vs Force on a gym bike – yes, amazingly, it might actually be worth watching, but skip the Virgin Active, people, those folk have no understanding of when the games are on, and will no doubt be showing a re-run of last year’s IPL semi-final!
Chiefs vs Saders unmissable on Saturday morning, perhaps even with a little Bucks Fizz in hand – it is the Easter Soak after all! Tahs vs Bulls with the first fire of the day burning brightly outside, then a proper rare rump steak feast as you fire yourself up for the Sharks vs Cheetahs game, which happens with beer in hand at 3. Cooler box then re-stocked for the Stormers vs Lions game which will be played in front of the smallest ever Newlands Super Rugby crowd, and then into that second braai of the day, nicely fired up for the omnipresent and endless Oscar Pistorius chit chat!
Friday 18 April
09:35 Hurricanes vs Blues, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Chris Watt New Zealand
Prediction: HURRICANES to beat Blues by 7
Hurricanes: 15 Andre Taylor, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (c), 12 Alapati Leiua, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Reggie Goodes
Bench: 16 Motu Matu’u, 17 Chris Eves, 18 John Schwalger, 19 Blade Thomson, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Tim Bateman, 23 Matt Proctor
Blues: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 George Moala, 13 Francis Saili, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Lolagi Visinia, 10 Chris Noakes, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Steven Luatua, 7 Luke Braid (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock
Bench: 16 James Parsons, 17 Sam Prattley, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Liaki Moli, 20 Brendon O’Connor, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Benji Marshall, 23 Frank Halai
11:40 Rebels vs Force, AAMI Park, Melbourne
Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)
Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Australia), Angus Gardner (Australia)
TMO: Steve Leszczynski (Australia)
Prediction: FORCE to beat Rebels by 11
Rebels: 15 Jason Woodward 14 Male Sau, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Nic Stirzaker, 8 Scott Higginbotham (c), 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Colby Fainga’a, 5 Luke Jones, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Toby Smith
Bench: 16 Pat Leafa, 17 Cruze Ah-Nau,18 Paul Alo-Emilie,19 Hugh Pyle,20 Sean McMahon,21 Luke Burgess,22 Tom Kingston,23 Angus Roberts
Force: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Patrick Dellit, 13 Marcel Brache, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (c), 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Adam Coleman, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.
Bench: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Phoenix Battye, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Justin Turner, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Chris Tuatara-Morrison.
Saturday 19 April
09:35 Chiefs vs Crusaders, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Prediction: CHIEFS to beat Crusaders by 7
Chiefs: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Andrew Horrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam (c), 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Michael Fitzgerald, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Rhys Marshall, 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Bench: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Jamie Mackintosh, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Matt Symons, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Jordan Payne.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Tom Taylor, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Bench: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Tim Perry, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Luke Whitelock, 21 Andy Ellis, 22 Tyler Bleyendaal, 23 Adam Whitelock
11:40 Waratahs vs Bulls, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia)
Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia), Ed Martin (Australia)
TMO: Peter Marshall (Australia)
Prediction: WARATAHS to beat Bulls by 5
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Cam Crawford, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Dave Dennis (c), 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Jacques Potgeiter, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Sepoke Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Bench: 16 Silatolu Latu, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Pat McCutcheon, 20 Wycliff Palu, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Jono Lance, 23 Matt Carraro.
Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Grant Hattingh , 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross, 5 Victor Matfield , 4 Flip van der Merwe (c), 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling.
Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Marcel vd Merwe, 18 Paul Willemse, 19 Jacques Engelbrecht, 20 William Small-Smith, 21 Handré Pollard, 22 Rudy Paige, 23 Morné Mellet.
15:00 Sharks vs Cheetahs, Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (SA), Marius Jonker (SA)
TMO: Deon van Blommenstein (SA)
Prediction: SHARKS to beat Cheetahs by 10
Sharks: 15. Lwazi Mvovo, 14. Tonderai Chavhanga, 13. S’bura Sithole, 12. Frans Steyn, 11. JP Pietersen, 10. Tim Swiel, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Keegan Daniel, 7. Jean Deysel, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Stephan Lewies, 4. Willem Alberts, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis (captain), 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Bench: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Lourens Adriaanse, 19. Etienne Oosthuizen, 20. Ryan Kankowski, 21. Stefan Ungerer, 22. Heimar Williams, 23. SP Marais
Cheetahs: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Rayno Benjamin, 11 Hennie Daniller, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jean Cook, 7 Boom Prinsloo, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Nicolaas van Dyk, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Bench: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Rossouw de Klerk, 19 Andries Ferreira, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Riaan Smith, 23 Raymond Rhule.
17:05 Stormers vs Lions, Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Stuart Berry (SA)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA) Quinton Immelman (SA)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SA)
Prediction: STORMERS to beat Lions by 7
Stormers: 15 Peter Grant, 14 Damien de Allende, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 10 Demitri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Michael Rhodes, 4 Ruan Botha, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Bench: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Devon Williams, 23 Jaco Taute
Lions: 15. Chrysander Botha , 14. Courtnall Skosan, 13. Lionel Mapoe, 12. Stefan Watermeyer, 11. Anthony Volmink, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronjé, 8. Warren Whiteley (captain), 7. Derick Minnie, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Martin Muller, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Schalk van der Merwe
Bench: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Corné Fourie, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. MB Lusaseni, 20. Willie Britz, 21. Faf de Klerk, 22. Elton Jantjies, 23. JW Jonker
