Jake goes BIG, Allister goes sentimental, Naka goes Coenie, while Johann leaves it late. All the teams, times, venues, refs, odds, SuperBru community picks and Tank Lanning’s predictions!
After coming second to the Brumbies in a kick fest of note last week, Jake White has gone back to basics, and what delivered for him in 2007, picking Willem Alberts at No.8 in a positively Bulls-esque giant loose trio sans any hint of a fetcher, obviously hoping to negate the power of Richie McCaw via a bulldozer of a pack. Not sure the Saders will fall for that one, no doubt aiming to up the pace from the get go.
Allister Coetzee has gone all sentimental in giving Peter Grant a start at flyhalf for his 100th game, this against a revitalised Force side, filled with Saffas, who got the better of the Cheetahs in Bloem last week. Will they make the same mistake as the Cheetahs and opt not to run at the Force?
Speaking of which, against the Brumbies – who have travelled this week, surely it is time for the Cheetahs to bring out their A-grade running game? Kick against the Brumbies, and they are likely to make like the Sharks did last week against them! That said, with the worst scrum success percentage in the tournament (76%), perhaps it might have been a better call to leave Coenie out of the run on XV and take the Wild Horses on come scrum time?
So, so close for the Lions last week, almost eclipsing the great Ikeys and Grey High comebacks already seen this year. But it was not to be. Can they go one step further this week and do the Bulls and Sharks a massive favour in the process? Tough ask that!
To the weekend then … 6 games over 3 days. Easy as you like guvnor! Sharks bashing the Saders (physically, perhaps not on the scoreboard) on a gym bike, just the single pink ticket needed for the Stormers and Cheetahs games on Saturday evening while seated on a coolerbox trying to break a chicken wing eating record, and a shot of rum in your Sunday coffee to give you the confidence to back the Lions vs the Tahs …
Friday 16 May
09:35 Hurricanes vs Highlanders, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)
TMO: Aaron Peterson (New Zealand)
Prediction: HURRICANES to beat Highlanders by 18
SuperBru Community pick: HURRICANES (86%) to beat Highlanders by 5
Hurricanes: 15 Andre Taylor. 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (c), 12 Tim Bateman, 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 Motu Matu’u, 1 Ben Franks.
Bench: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Reggie Goodes, 19 Blade Thomson, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Brad Shields, 22 Chris Smylie, 23 Alapati Leiua.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Richard Buckman, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Shaun Treeby, 11 Jason Emery, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Shane Christie, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Kane Hames.
Bench: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Matias Diaz, 18 Aki Seuli, 19 Tom Franklin, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka 22 Trent Renata, 23 Phil Burleigh.
Saturday 17 May
09:35 Crusaders vs Sharks, AAMI Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Mike Lash (New Zealand)
TMO: Chris Watt (New Zealand)
Prediction: CRUSADERS to beat Sharks by 7
SuperBru Community pick: CRUSADERS (82%) to beat Sharks by 6
Cruasaders: 15 Tom Taylor, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Ryan Crotty (c), 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Willie Heinz, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Richie McCaw, 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 George Whitelock, 21 Andy Ellis, 22 Tyler Bleyendaal, 23 Nafi Tuitavake.
Sharks:15 SP Marais, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 S’bura Sithole, 12 Paul Jordaan, 11 Lwazi Mvovo , 10 Francois Steyn, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Tera Mtembu, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, (c) 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Bench: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Keegan Daniel, 21 Charl McLeod, 22 Tim Swiel, 23 Heimar Williams
11:40 Reds vs Rebels, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Matt O’Brien (Australia), Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)
TMO: Steve Leszczynski (Australia)
Prediction: REDS to beat Rebels by 5
SuperBru Community pick: REDS (79%) to beat Rebels by 4
Reds: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Anthony Fainga’a, 11 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Beau Robinson, 6 Curtis Browning, 5 James Horwill, (C) 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 James Hanson, 1 Ben Daley.
Bench: 16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 Albert Anae, 18 Jono Owen, 19 Ed O’Donoghue, 20 Dave McDuling, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Ben Lucas, 23 Rod Davies.
Rebels: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Tom Kingston, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Scott Higginbotham (c), 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Colby Fainga’a, 5 Luke Jones, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith.
Bench: 16 Steve Fualau, 17 Cruze Ah-Nau, 18 Paul Alo-Emilie, 19 Hugh Pyle, 20. Sean McMahon, 21 Ben Meehan, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Telusa Veainu.
17:05 Stormers vs Force, Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker (SA), Quinton Immelman (SA)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SA)
Prediction: STORMERS to beat Force by 16
SuperBru Community pick: FORCE (56%) to beat Stormers by 1
Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger (c), 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Brok Harris.
Bench: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 Martin Dreyer, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Dylon Frylinck, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Michael van der Spuy.
Force: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Marcel Brache, 13 Chris Tuatara-Morrison, 12 Luke Burton, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (c), 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Sam Wykes, 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 Patrick Dellit.
19:10 Cheetahs vs Brumbies, Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (SA), Francois de Bruin (SA)
TMO: Johan Greeff (SA)
Prediction: CHEETAHS to beat Brumbies by 12
SuperBru Community pick: BRUMBIES (87%) to beat Cheetahs by 8
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Rayno Benjamin, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Teboho Mohoje, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Boela Serfontein, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Bench: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Nicolaas van Dyk, 19 Carel Greeff, 20 Waltie Vermeulen, 21 Renier Botha, 22 Elgar Watts, 23 Raymond Rhule.
Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Lealiifano, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben Mowen (c), 7 Jarrad Butler, 6 Fotu Auelua, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Scott Fardy, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Scott Sio.
Bench: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Ruan Smith, 18 JP Smith, 19 Jordan Smiler, 20 Tom McVerry, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Pat McCabe
Sunday 18 May
08:05 Waratahs vs Lions, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Andrew Lees (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Prediction: WARATAHS to beat Lions by 24
SuperBru Community pick: WARATAHS (93%) to beat Lions by 10
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Matt Carraro, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis (c), 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Paddy Ryan, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Bench: 16 Hugh Roach, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Jacques Potgieter, 20 Stephen Hoiles, 21 Brendon McKibbin, 22 Alofa Alofa, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro
Lions: 15. Courtnall Skosan, 14. Deon van Rensburg, 13. Lionel Mapoe, 12. Stefan Watermeyer, 11. JW Jonker, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Francois de Klerk, 8. Warren Whiteley (Captain), 7. Derick Minnie, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Martin Muller, 4. Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Schalk (FS) van der Merwe
Bench: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Corne Fourie, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. Rudi Mathee, 20. Warwick Tecklenburg, 21. Ross Cronje, 22. Elton Jantjies, 23. Chrysander Botha
