With the weekend looming, I’m previewing the games the South African teams are involved with. This weekend is one of those weekends that the Superbru picks are going to be very difficult with a lot of games that could go either way. With two mouth watering derbies and the Lions playing against the Rebels it looks like a interesting weekend.
Sharks vs Bulls
This game is going to be hard, fast and painful (if you are a sensitive viewer), the Sharks and Bulls both need to win this game to stay in with a chance, the Sharks would be more desperate for the win than the Bulls, but if the Bulls want to finish on top of the conference they need this one.
Mouth watering match ups with Jean Deysel (if he plays) & Jacques Potgieter, Marcell Coetzee & Dewald Potgieter, Michalak (if Lambie is injured) & Steyn and Frans & Meisiekind could provide more excitement and even be more like Bok trials.
The Sharks should have the edge in the scrums and the Bulls the edge in the lineouts, everything will depend on how the flyhalves play especially their kicking to the posts. This is were Steyn will be tested due to his kicking not being up to standard this season and the clash is not at Loftus. This will be the test to see if Morne is really back or not.
The Bulls played last week against the Cheetahs and should be on a high while the Sharks had a bye, the Sharks however did not have a 3 week layoff like the Cheetahs had and I don’t think they will be slow out of the blocks. Most of them were either involved with the boks or played in John Smit’s testimonial match. Therefore the Bulls should not think they might be at the receiving end of some silly errors like those the Cheetahs made last week.
The two biggest problems for the Sharks is the avaliability of Alberts and Lambie, they’re absence could be crucial to the outcome of the game. This game should be physical and a very close affair, I think the Sharks can take it but I feel the Bulls will take it if Morne Steyn kicks well, especially with the likely unavaliability of Lambie and co.
Bulls to scrape it.
Cheetahs vs Stormers
The Stormers are coming from a possible banana skin fixture to a game I feel could go either way. The Stormers should be wary of how the Cheetahs came back last week and how they came back in their last fixture at newlands.
The Stormers have been hit by flu, and it doesn’t bode well for AC’s men. Joe Pietersen, Juan De Jongh and Bryan Habana is recovering at home, and we know that flu makes you tired and should these players be fit for the clash they may not be 100%. With all their injuries the Stormers should be thinking where is their luck and when will things start to turn around.
The Cheetahs would largely have the same team for the weekend, with the news that Phillip vd Walt are not going to come back. Not much injury problems for Naka’s men with only Smith, Goosen, Daniller and Vd Walt, Raubenheimer and Benjamin for the season. But they would want to play for 80min at make as little errors as possible against the Stormers with the dead eye boot of Grant looming.
The Stormers came of a win against the Lions last week but for a while in that game it looked like the Lions could well cause an upset. The Cheetahs however played a shockingly poor first 60min against the Bulls but came back in the last 20min scoring some great tries and giving them some momentum coming into this game.
The Stormers would want to make the game slow and keep it at the front, while the Cheetahs would want to play expansive and have a quick pace. The Cheetahs to make this season their best season yet while the Stormers would like to assure themselves of making the playoffs. If the game gets loose and the Cheetahs play for themselves and not against themselves this could be ominous for the Stormers.
The Cheetahs made three changes, Downey starts and Johnson will warm the bench. Andries Strauss drops out of the 22 after a very bad game and Barry Geel gets his chance while Cameron Jacobs comes in for the out of depth Rocco Jansen and on the other wing the exciting Scheepers comes in for Snyman. The Stormers would want their players to recover from the flu and with their injuries they are starting to look thin in resources.
With home advantage and the Cheetahs getting some momentum in the last 20 I feel the Cheetahs have enough fire power to take this one by 7.
Lions vs Rebels
The week started with the news of the Lions adding another two players to their ever growing injury list, losing Deon van Rensburg and the ever impressing Andries Coetzee while the Rebels lost playmakers Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor.
Both teams are fighting to avoid the wooden spoon, the Lions would want to play for some pride and salvage something from their season while the Rebels would want to keep their impres Lions at bay. The Rebels have played some great rugby in the year and have beaten the Crusaders while the Lions have shocked the Sharks a few weeks ago.
Both teams come from losing games against teams playing for playoff spots. The rebels had a dysmal first half last week but came back strong in the second half while the Lions had a chance against the Stormers but did not have the firepower at the end. Both teams match up quite well, but the loss of Beale and O’Connor for the Rebels adding to the fact that they are playing away form home could be huge for the Lions hopes of notching up their 3rd win of the season.
The Lions should win this one by 7-10.
YIS! Even though I aggree with the majority of what you say I don’t agree with one of your score lines. Sharks by 3, Stormers by 10 and Liions by 2
Can’t see it powa, the cheetahs are playing home, they lost narrowly in newlands against a better Stormers outfit. They will be better than the first 60 last weekend. To make a statement saying the stormers by 10 is well not very clever if you consider that the Cheetahs gave the Bulls 2 tries last week and was error ridden. The Cheetahs also does not have the same mental block against the Stormers than which they have against the Bulls.
You don’t have to agree with any of my scores, I think the Bulls will win cause their passion will make them better, they always bring something out of the bag when its near to the playoffs and the Sharks are without Lambie and Alberts. With them it wouldve been another story. The Lions will win and both of us said that. the Rebels are without Beale and O’Connor and those two have been their catalysts the whole season. The Lions will not just win with 2 if they will win it will be more like 5+
hehehe Just pulling your chain. I think it’s anyones game and if Sias plays I hope he kicks as k*k as he has done lately. I think the best kicker will win the game. Who’s the ref?
Craig Joubert
Nico Scheepers is ‘n uitstekende stelskopper en hy kan verder skop as Peter Grant.
Guntz, the cheetahs backline with Geel, Scheepers, and Jacobs in the backline, the Cheetahs’ backline looks very depleted and average…
Scheepers is a very young but very exciting prospect, hes far better than a few guys we have tried and he is a good goal kicker too. He played well in his 10odd mins against the bulls. Nothing about him is average, he also played for the SA U20′s last year.
Just remember with Geel and Ebersohn at centre the Cheetahs won against the Crusaders a two years ago and stopped SBW when no one could. Geel got injured the game after early on and then Andries Strauss got back from injury.
Jacobs is the only guy there that should maybe not be there but he is good under the high ball and but not exciting. He will do the job even if that is all that he can. Naka will probably take him off bring Sias on and move Riaan Smit to the wing at a later stage.
yes, they aren’t weak players, but plenty new combinations though. I think you need to be very good to penetrate the stormers’ defence, specially in the midfield. – just don’t see a bash it up player like Geel providing spark, also, Scheepers’ inexperience against guys like Habana, Aplon and vd Heever might be an issue, i just think the backline has a dodgy feel to it, lets see what happens.
I see your point but then again Geel does offload much more than Strauss and if Ebersohn can run close it could cause something else to happen. We have a problem at wing here and yes it will pose a problem but I back the younger guys to perform because they are effectively playing for currie cup positions.
Scheepers en Jacobs het meer spoed as Phillip Snyman en albei verdedig beter as Rocco Jansen. Scheepers is ‘n sterk hardloper met genoeg spoed en soos Guntz gese het, hy is ‘n uitstekende stelskopper.
Rocco Jansen het my geen sins op my gemak gehad in een wedstryd nie, hy hoort nie in Super rugby nie. Hy lyk bang en onseker. Jacobs en Scheepers is ook goed onder die hoë balle, en Scheepers kan 10,14,15 speel.
‘cheetahs backline with Geel, Scheepers, and Jacobs looks very depleted and average…’ – was what I meant to say
Scheepers is a very young but very exciting prospect, hes far better than a few guys we have tried and he is a good goal kicker too. He played well in his 10odd mins against the bulls. Nothing about him is average, he also played for the SA U20′s last year.
Just remember with Geel and Ebersohn at centre the Cheetahs won against the Crusaders a two years ago and stopped SBW when no one could. Geel got injured the game after early on and then Andries Strauss got back from injury.
Jacobs is the only guy there that should maybe not be there but he is good under the high ball and but not exciting. He will do the job even if that is all that he can. Naka will probably take him off bring Sias on and move Riaan Smit to the wing at a later stage.
Had quite a good laugh now!! The bulls have no chance and the stormers will scrape it as they know how to win tight games which it will be with all the diseased and injured players as you rightly put it… Just because the cheetahs started to play a bit of rugby after the whole bulls bench came on does not mean they will play the same this weekend!!
Let’s see what happens, the stormers are good, but this is a game the Cheetahs wouldve targeted after the break, if they are serious to want to start to be a force in super rugby next year they should put away a stormers team that is not at full strength.
Just remember we lost narrowly at newlands against a stronger Stormers team and now its in bloem a week after the Cheetahs played their worst 60min of the season.
you think that the Cheetahs will make all the same mistakes they did against the Bulls you should think twice!
Guntz the Cheetahs have wanted to be a force in Super rugby for years, but let’s face it with players always moving to bigger unions and overseas and Naka as coach they’re not going to get there in a hurry
That is true, but they are starting to hold on to a few players like Goosen, Van Zyl, Brüssouw, VD Walt, Lappies, Prinsloo etc. It does help a lot. They have the potential. Just need more depth.
No way my friend. Cheetahs by 7? I call that a smokeless Gunz.
The Stormers have a defence, yes thats what they have. The Cheetahs front row in my opinion is better and the lineouts will be more or less even with the stormers maybe edging it. The back row will be even. The Half backs again is more or less even. The stormers have a better backline maybe but not as exciting. The Stormers will play well but like the first game of the season showed they lack the penetration against weaker defensive sides. If Im correct the scoreline was very even. I get it that the stormers fans are heavy favouring their team but realistically the Cheetahs have a fantastic opportunity this week that is why I’m backing them.
Average score: Stormers 26 Cheetahs 23
Last five results
12 May 2012 Stormers v Cheetahs 16-14 Cape Town
18 Jun 2011 Stormers v Cheetahs 44-34 Bloemfontein
05 Mar 2011 Stormers v Cheetahs 21-15 Cape Town
20 Mar 2010 Stormers v Cheetahs 21-8 Cape Town
16 May 2009 Stormers v Cheetahs 22-28 Bloemfontein
12 Apr 2008 Stormers v Cheetahs 22-34 Cape Town
Stormers overall record against the Cheetahs
Played 7 , Wins 5 , Losses 2 , Draws 0
Good post as a Stormer I agree the Cheetahs should be favourites but the Stormers has somehow managed to win against all odds this season.
Also think the Cheetahs made a mistake not starting Sias.
And the this vs the stormers team at Newlands is basically the same. We have full strenght backline(altough some a bit tired)
And the only Carr missing from the forwards but Bekker is back.
Agree about Sias, well I wrote the blog before the flu was over. But still think the Cheetahs should take this.