Push rewind, hit play! Yep, just like that, Super rugby is back! Take in the first weekend’s teams, times, Superbru Community picks, collated odds, and Tank Lanning’s predictions.
Boom – 7 games, so it’s minus the Highlanders in week one, thus no getting to see how Ross Geldenhuys does as their new signing. Pudding rugby on Sunday morning, although by then it might seem a bit like a death sentence, especially given that it is an Aussie derby. Friday night in the pub to see if the Lions scrum is still the block of granite it was last year. No Julian Redelinghuys this week, sadly. Then Saturday evening with the fire burning down sees 2 SA derbies with all the pressure on the Sharks in Durban as the SA side deemed to carry the flag this year, and then the Ikeys vs Maties of Super Rugby with Pierre Spies taking lessons from the bench as Duane Vermeulen shows him how it’s done on the field!
Friday, February 13 2015
08:35 – Crusaders vs Rebels (AMI Stadium, Christchurch)
Prediction: CRUSADERS to beat Rebels by 3
Superbru Community: CRUSADERS (67%) to beat Rebels by 11
Collated odds: CRUSADERS (1/6) to beat Rebels (21/4)
Crusaders: 15 Colin Slade, 14 Robbie Fruean, 13 Kieron Fonotia, 12 Tom Taylor, 11 Johnny McNicholl, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Matt Todd (captain), 6 Richie McCaw, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Joe Moody
Bench: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Wyatt Crockett, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Jordan Taufua, 21 Billy Guyton, 22 Ryan Crotty, 23 Nathaniel Apa
Rebels: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Nic Stirzaker, 8 Scott Higginbotham (captain), 7 Colby Fainga’a, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Lopeti Timani, 4 Luke Jones, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith
Bench: 16 Ben Whittaker, 17 Cruze Ah-Nau, 18 Paul Alo-Emile, 19 Sam Jeffries, 20 Scott Fuglistaller, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 Bryce Hegarty, 23 Sefanaia Naivalu
10:40 – Brumbies vs Reds (Canberra Stadium, Canberra)
Prediction: BRUMBIES to beat Reds by 3
Superbru Community: BRUMBIES (59%) to beat Reds by 5
Collated odds: BRUMBIES (5/12) to beat Reds (11/4)
Brumbies: 15. Robbie Coleman, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 12. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Joe Tomane, 10. Matt Toomua, 9. Nic White, 8. Jarrad Butler, 7. David Pocock (captain), 6. Scott Fardy, 5. Sam Carter, 4. Rory Arnold, 3. Ben Alexander, 2. Josh Mann-Rea, 1. Scott Sio
Bench: 16. Stephen Moore, 17. JP Smith, 18. Ruan Smith, 19. Jordan Smiler, 20. Ita Vaea, 21. Michael Dowsett, 22. James Dargaville, 23. Lausii Taliauli
Reds: 15 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, 14 Chris Kuridrani, 13 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Lachie Turner, 10 Karmichael Hunt, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Curtis Browning, 5 Marco Kotze, 4 James Horwill, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Saia Fainga’a, 1 James Slipper (captain)
Bench: 16 James Hanson, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Sef Faagase, 19 Ed O’Donoghue, 20 Adam Korczyk, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Duncan Paia’aua, 23 Campbell Magnay
19:10 – Lions vs Hurricanes (Emirates Park, Johannesburg)
Prediction: HURRICANES to beat Lions by 3
Superbru Community: LIONS (65%) to beat Hurricanes by 2
Collated odds: HURRICANES (10/11) to beat Lions (15/13)
Lions: 15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Lionel Mapoe, 12. Howard Mnisi, 11. Courtnall Skosan, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Warren Whiteley (captain), 7. Derick Minnie, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Martin Muller, 3. Ruan Dreyer, 2. Malcolm Marx, 1. Schalk van der Merwe
Bench: 16. Armand van der Merwe, 17. Corne Fourie, 18. Jacques van Rooyen, 19. Robert Kruger, 20. Warwick Tecklenburg, 21. Faf de Klerk, 22. Elton Jantjies, 23. Stokkies Hanekom
Hurricanes: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Rey Le-Lo, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Blade Thomson, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Mark Abbott, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dan Coles, 1 Ben Franks
Bench: 16 Brayden Mitchell, 17 Reggie Goodes, 18 Chris Eves, 19 Callum Gibbins, 20 Victor Vito, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 James Marshall, 23 Matt Proctor
Saturday, February 14 2015
08:35 – Blues vs Chiefs (Eden Park, Auckand)
Prediction: CHIEFS to beat Blues by 3
Superbru Community: CHIEFS (72%) to beat Blues by 4
Collated odds: CHIEFS (11/13) to beat Blues (15/13)
Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia, 14 Charles Piutau, 13 George Moala/Hamish Northcot, 12 Francis Saili, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Jerome Kaino (captain), 7 Brendon O’Connor, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Hayden Triggs, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 James Parsons, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Bench: 16 Matt Moulds, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Akira Ioane, 20 Luke Braid, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Simon Hickey, 23 Hamish Northcott/Ben Lam
Chiefs: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Charlie Ngatai, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 James Lowe, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Maama Vaipulu, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Johan Bardoul, 5 Mike Fitzgerald, 4 Matt Symons (captain), 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Pauliasi Manu
Bench: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 Jamie Mackintosh, 18 Siate Tokolahi, 19 Michael Allardice, 20 Tevita Koloamatangi, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Marty McKenzie, 23 Bryce Heem
17:05 – Sharks vs Cheetahs (Kings Park, Durban)
Prediction: SHARKS to beat Cheetahs by 3
Superbru Community: SHARKS (94%) to beat Cheetahs by 9
Collated odds: SHARKS (1/3) to beat Cheetahs (4/1)
Sharks: 15. SP Marais, 14. S’bura Sithole, 13. Waylon Murray, 12. Heimar Williams, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Tera Mtembu, 7. Renaldo Bothma, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4. Mouritz Botha, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis (captain), 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Bench: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Matt Stevens, 19. Marco Wentzel, 20. Jean Deysel, 21. Conrad Hoffmann, 22. Fred Zeilinga, 23. Odwa Ndungane
Cheetahs: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Clayton Blommetjies, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Joe Petersen, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Jean Cook, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Danie Minnie.
Bench: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 BG Uys, 18 Maks van Dyk, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Boom Prinsloo, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Willie du Plessis, 23 Cornal Hendricks
19:10 – Bulls vs Stormers (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Prediction: BULLS to beat Stormers by 3
Superbru Community: BULLS (67%) to beat Stormers by 3
Collated odds: BULLS (8/15) to beat Stormers (9/5)
Bulls: 15. Jurgen Visser, 14. Bjorn Basson, 13. JJ Engelbrecht, 12. Jan Serfontein, 11. Francois Hougaard, 10. Handre Pollard, 9. Piet van Zyl, 8. Arno Botha, 7. Lappies Labuschagne, 6. Deon Stegmann, 5. Victor Matfield (captain), 4. Jacques du Plessis, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Adriaan Strauss, 1. Trevor Nyakane
Bench: 16. Callie Visagie, 17. Morne Mellet, 18. Dayan vd Westhuizen/Neethling Fouche, 19. Grant Hattingh, 20. Pierre Spies, 21. Rudy Paige, 22. Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 23. Jesse Kriel
Stormers: 15. Cheslin Kolbe, 14. Johnny Kotze, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Dillyn Leyds, 10. Demetri Catrakilis, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7. Michael Rhodes, 6. Rynhardt Elstadt, 5. Ruan Botha, 4. Jean Kleyn, 3. Vincent Koch, 2. Scarra Ntubeni, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Bench: 16. Bongi Mbonambi, 17. Oli Kebble, 18. Wilco Louw, 19. Jurie van Vuuren, 20. Nizaam Carr, 21. Louis Schreuder, 22. Kurt Coleman, 23. Huw Jones
Sunday, February 15 2015
07:05 – Waratahs vs Force (Allianz Stadium, Sydney)
Prediction: WARATAHS to beat Force by 4
Superbru Community: WARATAHS (94%) to beat Force by 9
Collated odds: WARATAHS (1/5) to beat Force (5/1)
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Jacques Potgieter, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Dave Dennis (captain), 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson
Bench: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Sam Lousi, 20 Mitchell Chapman, 21 Stephan Hoiles, 22 Brendan McKibbin, 23 Matt Carraro
Force: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Solomoni Jnr Rasolea, 11 Marcel Brache, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Sam Wykes (captain), 3 Tetera Faulkner, 2. Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan
Bench: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Oliver Hoskins, 19 Steve Mafi, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Luke Burton
Greetings once again this season Tank! I look forward to good comments, some with mirth and others simply entertaining.
The build up to Super Ruggers in Australia and especially in Perth has been subdued and mostly due to this Cricket thing they play while waiting for the fire to settle down.
Let us not however be caught up in that malarky. Bring on a great Super Series!
By the way, seems the whole of superbru are going pretty conservatively for this first round of picks…