All 5 SA sides in the mix this weekend, which includes a full Friday of action! Take in the teams, times, venues, refs, SuperBru community picks and Tank Lanning’s predictions.
Jake White and the Sharks must still be glowing after last weekend’s great escape, but will need to come back to earth against a Blues side that can do a lot of damage. Alberts stays at 8, but Botes comes in as a fetcher, keeping Daniel and Kankowski on the bench. Interesting call! The Bulls welcome Flip back as skipper, but stick to that tall timber loose trio that did the business against the Stormers a few weeks back. Do not expect anything pretty at Loftus on Friday night! The Lions have made wholesale changes, including a brand new front row, no doubt aiming to give the entire squad a run on tour. The Force have travelled after being hammered at Newlands. Could the Gallant Lions catch them napping? And what about that pudding game at Newlands? So many brilliant head to heads like Sadie vs De Jongh and Prinsloo vs Vermeuelen. With only pride to play for, let’s hope the sun comes out and both sides pitch up with the attack-o-meter in the red. Makes it a tough game to call, though!
So it is that nasty 2 hour root canal session on Friday morning so you can catch the Sharks, Bulls at a pub near the office, preferably after an extended lunch paid for by your boss, the Kiwi derbies over coffee and then on a gym bike on Saturday morning, a gander at the Lions with a shandy in hand, proper fire building and naval fluff pondering while seated on a coolerbox, then a ball in hand extravaganza at Newlands while sucking on as many brown Fantas as you can get in!
Friday 23 May
09:35 Blues vs Sharks, North Harbour Stadium
Referee: Nick Briant (NZ)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (NZ), Aki Aso (Japan)
TMO: Aaron Peterson (NZ)
Prediction: BLUES to beat Sharks by 3
SuperBru Community pick: SHARKS (80%) to beat Blues by 4
Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia, 14 Frank Halai, 13 Pita Ahki, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Simon Hickey, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Luke Braid (c), 6 Peter Saili, 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 Steven Luatua, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Albert Nikoro.
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 Tera Mtembu, 6 Jacques Botes, 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 Rebels vs Waratahs, AAMI Park, Melbourne
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann (Aus)
Assistant referees: Matt O’Brien (Aus), Graham Cooper (Aus)
TMO: George Ayoub (Aus)
Prediction: WARATAHS to beat Rebels by 11
SuperBru Community pick: WARATAHS (86%) to beat Rebels by 6
Rebels: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Tom Kingston, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Ben Meehan, 8 Scott Higginbotham (c), 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Colby Fainga’a, 5 Luke Jones, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Paul Alo-Emile, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith.
Bench: 16 Steve Fualau, 17 Cruze Ah-Nau, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Hugh Pyle, 20 Sean McMahon, 21 Josh Holmes, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Telusa Veainu.
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Alofa Alofa, 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, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Jacques Potgieter, 3 Paddy Ryan, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Bench (from): 16 Hugh Roach, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Stephen Hoiles, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Jono Lance, 23 Matt Carraro, 24 Pat McCutcheon, 25 Taqele Naiyaravoro
19:10 Bulls vs Brumbies, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Craig Joubert (SA)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (SA), Cobus Wessels (SA)
TMO: Johan Greeff (SA)
Prediction: BULLS to beat Brumbies by 7
SuperBru Community pick: BULLS (69%) to beat Brumbies by 2
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 Hatingh, 7.Jacques du Plessis, 6.Jono Ross, 5.Victor Matfield, 4.Flip van der Merwe (capt), 3.Werner Kruger, 2.Callie Visagie, 1.Dean Greyling.
Bench: 16.Bongi Mbonambi, 17.Morne Mellet, 18.Marcel van der Merwe, 19.Paul Willemse, 20.Jacques Engelbrecht, 21.Piet van Zyl, 22.Handre Pollard, 23.Ulrich Beyers.
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 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Leon Power, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Scott Sio
Bench: Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Ruan Smith, 18 JP Smith, 19 Fotu Auelua, 20 Jordan Smiler, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Pat McCabe
Saturday 24 May
07:35 Highlanders vs Crusaders, Forsyth Barr, Dunedin
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZ)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (NZ), Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
TMO: Vinny Munro (NZ)
Prediction: CRUSADERS to beat Highlanders by 9
SuperBru Community pick: CRUSADERS (68%) to beat Highlanders by 3
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 Ged Robinson, 1 Kane Hames.
Bench: 16 Sam Anderson-Heather, 17 Matias Diaz, 18 Ma’afu Fia, 19 Tom Franklin, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Phil Burleigh.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Tom Taylor, 12 Ryan Crotty (c), 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Tim Perry.
Bench: 16 Corey Flynn, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 George Whitelock, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Adam Whitelock, 23 Nafi Tuitavake.
09:35 Hurricanes vs Chiefs, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (NZ), Mike Lash (NZ)
TMO: Chris Watt (NZ)
Prediction: CHIEFS to beat Hurricanes by 2
SuperBru Community pick: CHIEFS (75%) to beat Hurricanes by 4
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 Ash Dixon/Reggie Goodes, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Reggies Goodes/Mike Kainga, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Tim Bateman, 23 Matt Proctor/James Marshall.
Chiefs: 15 Tim Nanai-Williams, 14 Dwayne Sweeney, 13 Charlie Ngatai, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Liam Messam (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Tanerau Latimer, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Michael Fitzgerald, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Bench: 16 Mahonri Schwalger, 17 Jamie Mackintosh, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Kane Thompson, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Tom Marshall.
11:40 Force vs Lions, NIB Stadium, Perth
Referee: Steve Walsh (Aus)
Assistant referees: James Leckie (Aus), Ian Smith (Aus)
TMO: Peter Marshall (Aus)
Prediction: FORCE to beat Lions by 12
SuperBru Community pick: FORCE (88%) to beat Lions by 8
Force: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 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 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan
Bench: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Adam Coleman, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Justin Turner, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Patrick Dellit
Lions: 15. Coenie van Wyk, 14. JW Jonker, 13. Deon van Rensburg, 12. Alwyn Hollenbach, 11. Anthony Volmink, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronjé, 8. Warren Whiteley (captain), 7. Warwick Tecklenburg , 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Rudi Mathee, 3. Ruan Dreyer, 2. Armand van der Merwe, 1. Corné Fourie
Substitutes: 16. Robbie Coetzee, 17. Jacques van Rooyen, 18. Julian Redelinghuys, 19. Willie Britz, 20. Stephan de Wit, 21. Faf de Klerk, 22. Elton Jantjies, 23. Stefan Watermeyer
17:05 Stormers vs Cheetahs, Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Stuart Berry (SA)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA), Quinton Immelman (SA)
TMO: Deon van Blommestein (SA)
Prediction: STORMERS to beat Cheetahs by 9
SuperBru Community pick: STORMERS (78%) to beat Cheetahs by 4
Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Damian de Allende, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Alistair Vermaak
Bench: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Dylon Frylinck, 22 Peter Grant, 23 Kobus van Wyk
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 Willem Serfontein, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen
Bench: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Maks van Dyk, 19 Hilton Lobberts, 20 Carel Greeff, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Elgar Watts, 23 Riaan Smit
oops Sharks won by 6 ( I am happy to say)