Four SA sides see action in a manageable seven game weekend, and again, not a Currie Cup derby in sight. Sadly, though, Tank Lanning sees the results being similar to last week.
Tank Lanning
This is the line-up:
Friday the 6th
09h35 – Crusaders v Reds (AMI Stadium)
11h45 – Brumbies v Bulls (GIO Stadium)
Saturday the 7th
07h15 – Sunwolves v Force (Prince Chichibu Stadium)
09h35 – Chiefs v Highlanders (FMG Stadium)
11h45 – Waratahs v Cheetahs (Allianz Stadium)
15h00 – Sharks v Hurricanes (Kings Park)
17h10 – Kings v Blues (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium)
No Friday evening game so you can write that afternoon off to a messy “Client lunch” that starts with the Bulls game. Game of the weekend, Chiefs vs Highlanders, on a spin bike the next morning to clear the cobwebs before taking in the Cheetahs with Shandy in hand as you stock the coolerbox and stack the fire. And then an all out assault on the coolerbox while taking in the Sharks in order to make the Kings a smidgen more palatable!
My picks:
CRUSADERS to beat Reds by 17
BRUMBIES to beat Bulls by 3
FORCE to beat Sunwolves by 7
CHIEFS to beat Highlanders by 7
WARATAHS to beat Cheetahs by 12
HURRICANES to beat Sharks by 9
BLUES to beat Kings by 18
What the Bookies say:
CRUSADERS (1/10) to beat Reds (17/2)
BRUMBIES (1/2) to beat Bulls (9/4)
FORCE (11/17) to beat Sunwolves (13/8)
CHIEFS (8/15) to beat Highlanders (2/1)
WARATAHS (1/3) to beat Cheetahs (5/1)
HURRICANES (8/11) to beat Sharks (11/8)
BLUES (1/19) to beat Kings (13/1)
The SuperBru Community picks:
CRUSADERS to beat Reds by 18
BRUMBIES to beat Bulls by 1
FORCE to beat Sunwolves by 3
CHIEFS to beat Highlanders by 6
WARATAHS to beat Cheetahs by 12
HURRICANES to beat Sharks by 6
BLUES to beat Kings by 17
Jonathan Kaplan’s picks:
CRUSADERS to beat Reds by 19
BRUMBIES to beat Bulls by 18
SUNWOLVES to beat Force by 1
CHIEFS to beat Highlanders by 9
WARATAHS to beat Cheetahs by 7
HURRICANES to beat Sharks by 4
BLUES to beat Kings by 25
It’s just an avalanche of agreement, until you get to ex international referee Kaplan’s Sunwolves pick! Not so sure about that, but then again, one never knows when it comes to the Force!
The Sharks could easily get past the travelling Hurricanes now that they are back at home, while the Bulls, who look like they are enjoying their tour, could easily come good in Canberra.
But I am playing it a little safe this weekend for some reason …
The Cheetahs have come unstuck on tour, getting their mix between attacking rugby and prudent seeking of field position a wrong. A tough game for them against the Tahs, who even though they have travelled home, will be buoyed by that burglary at Newlands.
Even without the injured Cobus Reinach, the Sharks take a wealth of knowledge from their tour down under into their game against the high riding Canes. Many have said that they are the team, while perhaps less flashy, that gave the game to beat the Kiwis. Will Garth April pull an Elton against Beauden Barret or will he be the man to turn the Canes with cheeky dinks over the top?
After taking 70 from the Jaguares in the land of sensational steak and red wine, the Kings now head home to take on a Blues side who had the Rebels by the short and curlies last week. More guts and character, but no glory me thinks.
