It’s the Super Rugby weekend baby … Time to catch up on the weekend’s teams, times, refs, venues, BetFlash odds, SuperBru Community picks, and Tank Lanning’s predictions …
One can only hope that last weekend’s snoreathon was due to it being seriously heavy on the in conference derbies. This week, we only have one of those, and yes, I think we can expect the Cheetahs vs Stormers affair to be a low scoring fairly drab affair. Sadly, as these should be the 2 sides in SA looking to throw the ball around. Perhaps with nothing much left to play for, they might actually do that! Odds on one of Brussow or Fourie seeing yellow?
Or what about the odds on the tallest loose trio in world rugby actually making a steal (let alone getting their) at the break down against the Force?
You will probably get Blues vs Tahs in before getting into the office on Friday, and can then give Brumbies vs Chiefs a miss, while clearing the Friday evening diary for the Sharks game at a pub round the corner. Canes vs Reds is probably worth a gander while on a gym bike, then it’s the Bulls while the fire burns down, a monster feed straight from the grid while making sure the coolerbox needs to be restocked for the Cheetahs vs Stormers, which happens while seated in front of the big screen upon said restocked coolerbox!
Friday 25 April
07:35 Blues vs Waratahs, Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
AR: Nick Briant (New Zealand), Mike Lash (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Prediction: WARATAHS to beat Blues by 5
BetFlash odds: WARATAHS (0.75) to beat Blues (1.05)
SuperBru Community pick: WARATAHS (62%) to beat Blues by 2
Blues: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Frank Halai, 13 Francis Saili, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Lolagi Visinia, 10 Simon Hickey, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Luke Braid, 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 Hayden Triggs, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Steven Luatua, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Pita Ahki
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 Potgieter, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Bench (one to be omitted): 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Pat McCutcheon, 20 Wycliff Palu, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Jono Lance, 23 Matt Carraro, 24 Stephen Hoiles.
09:40 Brumbies vs Chiefs, Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
AR: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia), Andrew Lees (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Prediction: BRUMBIES to beat Chiefs by 2
BetFlash odds: BRUMBIES (0.6) to beat Chiefs (1.3)
SuperBru Community pick: BRUMBIES (75%) to beat Chiefs by 3
Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Joe Tomane, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Lealiifano, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben Mowen (c), 7 Jarrad Butler, 6 Jordan Smiler, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Scott Fardy, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Scott Sio.
Bench: 16 Siliva Siliva, 17 Ruan Smith, 18 JP Smith, 19 Jack Whetton, 20 Tom McVerry, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Pat McCabe.
Chiefs: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Andrew Horrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Liam Messam (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Nick Crosswell, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Ross Filipo, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Pauliasi Manu
Bench: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Jamie Mackintosh, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Matt Symons, 20 Tevita Koloamatangi, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Dwayne Sweeney, 23 James Lowe.
19:10 Sharks vs Highlanders, Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
AR: Stuart Berry (SA), Quinton Immelman (SA)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SA)
Prediction: SHARKS to beat Highlanders by 18
BetFlash odds: SHARKS (0.17) to beat Highlanders (3.5)
SuperBru Community pick: SHARKS (97%) to beat Highlanders by 9
Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 S’bura Sithole, 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 (c), 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.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Richard Buckman, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Shaun Treeby, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Shane Christie, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Chris King, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Kane Hames.
Bench: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Ma’afu Fia, 19 Josh Bekhuis, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Trent Renata, 23 John Hardie.
Saturday 26 April
09:35 Hurricanes vs Reds, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
AR: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Shane McDermott (New Zealand)
TMO: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Prediction: HURRICANES to beat Reds by 9
BetFlash odds: HURRICANES (0.35) to beat Reds (2.15)
SuperBru Community pick: HURRICANES (91%) to beat Reds by 6
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 Ben Franks
Bench: 16 Motu Matu’u, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Reggie Goodes, 19 Blade Thomson, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Tim Bateman, 23 Matt Proctor
Reds: 15 Ben Lucas, 14 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Mike Harris, 11 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Beau Robinson, 6 Eddie Quirk, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 James Slipper, 2 Saia Fainga’a, 1 Ben Daley
Bench: 16 James Hanson, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Jono Owen, 19 Ed O’Donoghue, 20 Curtis Browning, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Anthony Fainga’a, 23 Rod Davies
11:40 Force vs Bulls, NIB Stadium, Perth
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
AR: James Leckie (Australia), Matt O’Brien (Australia)
TMO: Peter Marshall (Australia)
Prediction: FORCE to beat Bulls by 4
BetFlash odds: FORCE (0.65) to beat Bulls (1.15)
SuperBru Community pick: FORCE (71%) to beat Bulls by 3
Force: 15. Jayden Hayward, 14. Dane Haylett-Petty, 13. Marcel Brache, 12. Kyle Godwin, 11. Nick Cummins, 10. Sias Ebersohn, 9. Ian Prior, 8. Ben McCalman, 7. Matt Hodgson (captain), 6. Angus Cottrell, 5. Sam Wykes, 4. Adam Coleman, 3. Kieran Longbottom, 2. Nathan Charles, 1. Pek Cowan
Bench: 16. Heath Tessmann, 17. Tetera Faulkner, 18. Ollie Hoskins, 19. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 20. Brynard Stander, 21. Justin Turner, 22. Zack Holmes, 23. Chris Tuatara-Morrison
Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Grant Hattingh, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Dean Greyling.
Bench: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Marcel vd Merwe, 18 Jacques Engelbrecht, 19 Wimpie vd Walt, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Handré Pollard, 22 Ulrich Beyers, 23 Morné Mellet.
17:05 Cheetahs vs Stormers, Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Referee: Craig Joubert (SA)
AR: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA), Francois de Bruin (SA)
TMO: Johan Greeff (SA)
Prediction: STORMERS to beat Cheetahs by 3
BetFlash odds: CHEETAHS (0.75) to beat Stormers (1.05)
SuperBru Community pick: STORMERS (55%) to beat Cheetahs by 1
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Ryno Benjamin, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Jean Cook, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Maks van Dyk, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Bench: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Rossouw de Klerk, 19 Waltie Vermeulen, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Riaan Smit, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Damian de Allende, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Devon Williams, 10 Peter Grant, 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 Oliver Kebble, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Kobus van Wyk