Back to a monster “Super Saturday” this weekend, with evening SA derbies in Bloem and Pretoria. Catch the teams, times, odds, SuperBru community picks and predictions by Tank Lanning and Bob Skinstad.
Tank Lanning
A double Oosthuizen (Caylib and Coenie) front row for the Cheetahs will have Steven Kitshoff, Ollie Kebble, Frans Malherbe and Vincent Koch salivating like bulldogs round a braai! The Stormers front row was rampant against the Bulls last weekend, going a long way to securing the 2 point game via scrum penalties alone. Joe Pietersen and his fellow backs have looked good with ball in hand, but not sure they will get much of that this weekend, instead needing to employ their defence, which has not looked that sharp.
Bismarck is back for the Sharks, but not as captain, with Marco Wentzel keeping the skipper’s armband. Smart move. Wentzel has been great as a captain, while the Boks need our feisty first choice hooker to focus on his game in the run up to the World Cup. All three All Blacks (Smith, Smith and Fekitoa) are back for the Highlanders so this first game on tour for the Durban boys will be a proper test of their mettle. Nice to see Stephan Lewies back, but a little nervous to see Willem Alberts at the base of the scrum.
Dean Greyling and Hencus van Wyk were injured when their car overturned on the way back from a midweek hunting trip. So Morne Mellet starts for the Bulls with Varsity Cup Dream Teamer Dayan van der Westhuizen getting splinters. Not ideal vs the Lions juggernaught tightheads. Talisman Victor Matfield is back from a knee injury that kept him out of action for a month to lead them into battle. Still needing to tour, and with things especially tight in the South African conference, the Bulls need to beat the Lions this weekend if they are to have a hope of making the playoffs. Lions rampant and not far from home. It certainly will not be plain sailing!
The Bookies and the Brus agree on every single game this weekend! Even the Brumbies vs Tahs game, which is interesting given that many of the ex-players in the SuperBru legends pool have picked the Tahs. Including my guest predictor this weekend, ex Bok and Stormers legend, Bob Skinstad. And worryingly, given how poorly the guest predictor has done each week thus far, we agree on every pick!
The lineup:
Friday, May 01
09:35 – Highlanders vs Sharks (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)
11:40 – Brumbies vs Waratahs (GIO Stadium, Canberra)
Saturday, May 02 2015
07:30 – Blues vs Force (Eden Park, Auckand)
09:35 – Hurricanes vs Crusaders (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)
11:40 – Rebels vs Chiefs (AAMI Park, Melbourne)
17:05 – Cheetahs vs Stormers (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
19:10 – Bulls vs Lions (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
My predictions:
HIGHLANDERS to beat Sharks by 5
WARATAHS to beat Brumbies by 5
BLUES to beat Force by 12
HURRICANES to beat Crusaders by 7
CHIEFS to beat Rebels by 9
STORMERS to beat Cheetahs by 11
BULLS to beat Lions by 5
Bob Skinstad’s picks:
HIGHLANDERS to beat Sharks by 8
WARATAHS to beat Brumbies by 5
BLUES to beat Force by 10
HURRICANES to beat Crusaders by 7
CHIEFS to beat Rebels by 8
STORMERS to beat Cheetahs by 6
BULLS to beat Lions by 2
The SuperBru Community picks:
HIGHLANDERS (86%) to beat Sharks by 7
BRUMBIES (65%) to beat Waratahs by 2
BLUES (87%) to beat Force by 6
HURRICANES (85%) to beat Crusaders by 6
CHIEFS (96%) to beat Rebels by 10
STORMERS (91%) to beat Cheetahs by 8
BULLS (71%) to beat Lions by 4
The Collated odds:
HIGHLANDERS (4/11) to beat Sharks (13/5)
BRUMBIES (5/6) to beat Waratahs (11/8)
BLUES (4/11) to beat Force (11/4)
HURRICANES (8/13) to beat Crusaders (6/4)
CHIEFS (4/9) to beat Rebels (9/4)
STORMERS (1/2) to beat Cheetahs (2/1)
BULLS (2/5) to beat Lions (3/1)
Weekend teams:
Friday, May 01
09:35 – Highlanders vs Sharks (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Richard Buckman, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu (co-captain), 7 Dan Pryor, 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Mark Reddish, 4 Tom Franklin, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Kane Hames
Bench: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Brendon Edmonds, 18 Pingi Tala’apitaga, 19 Joe Latta, 20 Elliot Dixon, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Jason Emery
Sharks: 15. Odwa Ndungane, 14. S’bura Sithole, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Andre Esterhuizen, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Fred Zeilinga, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Willem Alberts, 7. Renaldo Bothma, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Marco Wentzel (captain), 4. Stephan Lewies, 3. Lourens Adriaanse, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Bench: 16. Franco Marais, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Matt Stevens, 19. Mouritz Botha, 20. Etienne Oosthuizen, 21. Conrad Hoffmann, 22. Lionel Cronje, 23. Waylon Murray
11:40 – Brumbies vs Waratahs (GIO Stadium, Canberra)
Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Robbie Coleman, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Michael Dowsett, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Jordan Smiler, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 JP Smith
Bench: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Blake Enever, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Joe Powell, 22 James Dargaville, 23 Nigel Ah Wong
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Peter Betham, 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 Dave Dennis (captain), 4 Will Skelton, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson
Bench (from): 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Mitch Chapman, 20 Stephen Hoiles, 21 Pat McCutcheon, 22 Brendan McKibbin, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 24 Matt Carraro
Saturday, May 02 2015
07:30 – Blues vs Force (Eden Park, Auckand)
Blues: 15 Charles Piutau. 14 Lolagi Visinia, 13 Francis Saili, 12 George Moala/Hamish Northcott, 11 Melani Nanai, 10 Dan Bowden, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Jerome Kaino (captain), 7 Brendon O’Connor, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Hayden Triggs, 4 Josh Bekhuis/Culum Retallick, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock
Bench: 16 James Parsons, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Steven Luatua, 20 Luke Braid, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Hamish Northcott/Tevita Li
Force: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Luke Burton, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (captain), 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Adam Coleman/Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Steve Mafi, 3 Tetera Faulkner, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pekahou Cowan
Bench: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Guy Millar, 19 Wilhelm Steenkamp/Ross Haylett-Petty, 20 Kane Koteka, 21 Justin Turner, 22 Marcel Brache, 23 Junior Rasolea
09:35 – Hurricanes vs Crusaders (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)
Hurricanes: 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Brad Shields, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Callum Gibbins, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Motu Matu’u, 1 Reggie Goodes
Bench: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Chris Eves, 19 Mark Abbott, 20 Blade Thomson, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Matt Proctor, 23 James Marshall
Crusaders: 15 Tom Taylor, 14 David Havili, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Dan Carter, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Bench: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Luke Whitelock, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Kieron Fonotia, 23 Nafi Tuitavake
11:40 – Rebels vs Chiefs (AAMI Park, Melbourne)
Rebels: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Sefanaia Naivalu, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Nic Stirzaker, 8 Scott Higginbotham (captain), 7 Jordy Reid, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Lopeti Timani, 4 Luke Jones, 3 Paul Alo-Emile, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith
Bench:16 Tom Sexton, 17 Cruze Ah-Nau, 18 Tim Metcher, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Colby Fainga’a, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 Tom English, 23 Bryce Hegarty
Chiefs: TBA
17:05 – Cheetahs vs Stormers (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Boom Prinsloo, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen/Maks van Dyk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Bench: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Dolph Botha, 18 Maks van Dyk/Ewald van der Westhuizen, 19 Steven Sykes, 20 Carel Greeff, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Francois Brummer, 23 Danie Dames
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 (c), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Oli Kebble.
Bench: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Manuel Carizza, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones.
19:10 – Bulls vs Lions (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Bulls: 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Lappies Labuschagne, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Trevor Nyakane
Bench: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Morne Mellett, 18 Andrew Beerwinkel, 19 Grant Hattingh, 20 Pierre Spies, 21 Tian Schoeman, 22 Burger Odendaal, 23 Jurgen Visser
Lions: 15. Marnitz Boshoff, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Harold Vorster, 12. Howard Mnisi, 11. Andries Coetzee, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Faf de Klerk, 8. Warren Whiteley (captain), 7. Warwick Tecklenburg, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Andries Ferreira, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Jacques van Rooyen
Bench: 16. Armand van der Merwe, 17. Corne Fourie, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. MB Lusaseni, 20. Robert Kruger, 21. Ross Cronje, 22. Alwyn Hollenbach, 23. Courtnall Skosan
