Weekend teams and predictions

Just six games with only three SA sides in action this derby free weekend. Catch all the times, teams. odds, SuperBru community picks along with both Tank Lanning and Corne Krige’s predictions.

Tank Lanning

You would think it would be pretty simple to catch all the games, but it is a Currie Cup free weekend, so it still makes for a pretty full Saturday. But thankfully there is no 19h00 kickoff, so getting those pink tickets looks fairly achievable:

Friday, May 08

09:35 – Crusaders vs Reds (AMI Stadium, Christchurch)

11:40 – Rebels vs Blues (AAMI Park, Melbourne)

Saturday, May 09

09:35 – Hurricanes vs Sharks (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)

11:40 – Force vs Waratahs (NIB Stadium, Perth)

15:00 – Lions vs Highlanders (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

17:05 – Stormers vs Brumbies (Newlands, Cape Town)

Proper braai and coolerbox time on Saturday afternoon!

It was very untidy for the Sharks last weekend, and now they have the log leading Canes to contend with at the Cake Tin. Does it come tougher? Could they turn it around and provide the upset of the year? Bok wing JP Pietersen reckons Frans Steyn (back from suspension) could be the lift they need after giving the team a bit of a talk about where they can improve and bringing some new energy. Unlikely, but they are sure trying out a few new things with 2 hookers on the bench and Stefan Ungerer and Lionel Cronje as the halfback pairing!

After a narrow loss to the Bulls last weekend, can the high riding Lions bounce back against a side as good at the counter attack as the Highlanders are? Sure the men from Dunedin have travelled, but my word, they must be on a high after that demolition job on the Sharks. This is without doubt the toughest call of the weekend. Of course I should be backing Warren Whiteley and his band of merry men, fast overtaking the Cheetahs to be everyone’s second favourite side, to bounce back and sneak this one, but the Smith double and Fekitoa treble have forced my hand.

Expect a scrum-fest at Newlands. Well, that is what the Stormers will be hoping for given how negatively the lack of scrums in their game against the Cheetahs affected them last week. What is it with these Stormers and their focus on a single aspect of play. In 2012 it was defence. In 2015 it is scrumming. They desperately need an all-round game if they are ever to get their hands on this trophy.

Like last week, the Bookies and the Brus agree on every game of the weekend! They are least certain on the Lions and rebels wins, though. I just cannot back the Rabble I am afraid, so am calling the Blues to come good in that second game of the weekend! Disagreeing with me on that, but agreeing on the Lions pick, is my guest predictor this weekend, Bok legend Corne Krige. Lying 15^th on the 18 man SuperBru Legends Pool leaderboard, I am not sure you should be hugely impressed by either pick though!

My predictions:

CRUSADERS to beat Reds by 19

BLUES to beat Rebels by 5

HURRICANES to beat Sharks by 13

WARATAHS to beat Force by 7

HIGHLANDERS to beat Lions by 5

STORMERS to beat Brumbies by 3

Corne Krige’s predictions:

CRUSADERS to beat Reds by 12

REBELS to beat Blues by 6

HURRICANES to beat Sharks by 8

WARATAHS to beat Force by 14

HIGHLANDERS to beat Lions by 6

STORMERS to beat Brumbies by 9

The SuperBru Community picks:

CRUSADERS (99%) to beat Reds by 13

REBELS (78%) to beat Blues by 4

HURRICANES (95%) to beat Sharks by 13

WARATAHS (94%) to beat Force by 9

LIONS (60%) to beat Highlanders by 1

STORMERS (81%) to beat Brumbies by 4

The Collated odds:

CRUSADERS (1/7) to beat Reds (7/1)

REBELS (4/7) to beat Blues (7/4)

HURRICANES (2/9) to beat Sharks (9/2)

WARATAHS (4/11) to beat Force (3/1)

LIONS (10/11) to beat Highlanders (11/10)

STORMERS (8/11) to beat Brumbies (6/4)

The weekend’s teams:

Friday, May 08

09:35 – Crusaders vs Reds (AMI Stadium, Christchurch)

Crusaders: 15 Tom Taylor, 14 Nafi Tuitavake, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Dan Carter, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett.

Bench: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Joe Moody, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Richie McCaw, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Kieron Fonotia, 23 Jone Macilai.

Reds: 15 Lachie Turner, 14 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Anthony Fainga’a, 11 James O’Connor, 10 Nick Frisby, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 James Horwill, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 James Hanson, 1 James Slipper (c).

Bench: 16 Andrew Ready, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Marco Kotze, 20 Lolo Fakaosilea, 21 Scott Gale, 22 Ben Tapuai, 23 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi.

11:40 – Rebels vs Blues (AAMI Park, Melbourne)

Rebels: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Tom English, 13 Dom Shipperley, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Sefanaia Naivalu, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Nic Stirzaker, 8 Scott Higginbotham (captain), 7 Jordy Reid, 6 Colby Fainga’a, 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 Scott Fuglistaller, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 Bryce Hegarty, 23 Telusa Veainu

Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia. 14 Melani Nanai, 13 Francis Saili, 12 George Moala, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Steven Luatua (c), 7 Brendon O’Connor, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Hayden Triggs, 4 Culum Retallick, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Bench: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Sam Prattley, 19 Josh Bekhuis, 20 Joe Edwards, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Simon Hickey, 23 Hamish Northcott.

Saturday, May 09

09:35 – Hurricanes vs Sharks (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)

Hurricanes: 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Matt Proctor, 10 James Marshall, 9 Chris Smylie, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Blade Thomson, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Motu Matu’u, 1 Chris Eves.

Bench: 16 Brayden Mitchell, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Reggie Goodes, 19 Callum Gibbins, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Frae Wilson, 22 Otere Black, 23 Rey Lee-Lo

Sharks: 15. Lwazi Mvovo, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Frans Steyn, 11. S’bura Sithole, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Stefan Ungerer, 8. Renaldo Bothma, 7. Etienne Oosthuizen, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Marco Wentzel (captain), 4. Stephan Lewies, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira

Bench: 16. Franco Marais, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Lourens Adriaanse, 19. Mouritz Botha, 20. Kyle Cooper, 21. Conrad Hoffmann, 22. Andre Esterhuizen, 23. Waylon Murray

11:40 – Force vs Waratahs (NIB Stadium, Perth)

Force: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Junior Rasolea, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (captain), 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Adam Coleman, 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, 20 Kane Koteka, 21 Alby Mathewson, 22 Luke Burton, 23 Marcel Brache

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 Dave Dennis (captain), 4 Will Skelton, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tolu Latu, 1 Benn Robinson

Bench (from): 16 Hugh Roach, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Mitchell Chapman, 20 Tala Gray, 21 Pat McCutcheon, 22 Brendan McKibbin, 23 Matt Carraro, 24 Peter Betham

15:00 – Lions vs Highlanders (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

Lions: 15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Harold Vorster, 12. Alwyn Hollenbach, 11. Courtnall Skosan, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Warren Whiteley (captain), 7. Warwick Tecklenburg, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Andries Ferreira, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Schalk van der Merwe

Bench: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Jacques van Rooyen, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. Robert Kruger, 20. Ruaan Lerm, 21. Faf de Klerk, 22. Elton Jantjies, 23. Howard Mnisi

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 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Elliott Dixon, 20 John Hardie, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Jason Emery

17:05 – Stormers vs Brumbies (Newlands, Cape Town)

Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Juan de Jongh/Huw Jones, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Bench: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Alastair Vermaak, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones/Pat Howard

Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Robbie Coleman, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Nic White, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 JP Smith

Bench: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Jorden Smiler, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 James Dargaville, 23 Nigel Ah Wong