The Weekends rugby Predictions
August 31, 2012 in Rugby
MTN Golden Lions v.s Griquas – 19:10 Friday Johannesburg
This should seem like a mismatch, a David and goliath affair with the Lions sitting pretty on top of the Absa Currie Cup log and the Griquas, still searching for their first win, plunked right at the bottom but don’t expect this game to be a one sided affair with the Griquas not really letting any team genuinely boss them so far in the season although still losing all 3 of their games so far. The Lions on the other hand have only lost one game, to the Sharks at Mr Price Kingspark in Durban but have looked rather solid at home this season. With Josh Strauss having played well at lock against Province he retains the number 4 jersey. A close game should be on the cars in Joburg.
Teams:
Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Butch James, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Willie Britz, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Joshua Strauss, 3 CJ Van der Linde, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).
Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Michael Rhodes, 19 Cobus Grobbelaar, 20 Michael Bondesio, 21 Alwyn Hollenbach, 22 Deon Helberg.
Griqiuas: 15 Willie le Roux 14 Jannie Boshoff 13 Jean Stemmet 12 Walter Venter 11 Rocco Jansen 10 Francois Brummer 9 Marnus Hugo 8 Leon Karemaker 7 Wesley Wilkins 6 Marnus Schoeman 5 Martin Muller 4 Ligtoring Landman 3 Lourens Adriaanse 2 Ryno Barnes (captain) 1 Steph Roberts
Substitutes: 16 Matthew Dobson 7 Ivann Espag 18 Frikkie Spies 19 Justin Downey 20 Jacques Coetzee 21 Marnitz Boshoff 22 Matthew Rosslee
Prediction : Lions by 6
The Sharks vs. Toyota Cheetahs – 17:05 Durban
With Keegan Daniel back, The Sharks will be looking to put the Cheetahs away in Durban with the same attacking flair that saw them progress to the 2012 Super Rugby final but Bok call ups have hurt the Sharks this season, not in their results (they are 2nd on the log only behind the Lions on points difference) but the disruptions the switches and changes have caused. The Cheetahs are a strong team with a good pack of forwards and some dazzling backs. These two teams always throw everything at each other when they meet and Durban is a ground the Cheetahs feel quite confident playing at. Expect this game to be a battle of the forwards, very tough to call.
Teams:
Sharks: 15.Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 S’bura Sithole, 10 Riaan Viljoen, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Jean Deysel (captain), 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Monde Hadebe, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Substitutes: 16 Pieter Dixon, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Francois Kleinhans, 20 Cobus Reinach, 21 Marius Joubert, 22 Rosko Specman.
Free State Cheetahs:15 Hennie Daniller 14 Nico Scheepers 13 Robert Ebersohn (Captain) 12 Barry Geel 11 Raymond Rhule 10 Sias Ebersohn 9 Sarel Pretorius 8 Kabamba Floors 7 Pieter “Lappies” Labuschagne 6 Frans Viljoen 5 Izak van der Westhuizen 4 Andries Ferreira 3 Marcel Van Der Merwe 2 Hercu Liebenberg 1 Schalk van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16 Elandre Huggett 17 Ross Geldenhuys 18 Waltie Vermeulen 19 Davon Raubenheimer 20 Tewis de Bruyn 21 Philip Snyman 22 Rayno Benjamin
Prediction: Sharks by 10
DHL Western Province v.s Vodacom Bulls – 19:10 Cape Town
It’s all happening in Cape Town with the match of the weekend, Province have made 7 changes to the team that narrowly lost to the Lions last weekend, with their coach Allister Coetzee voicing his frustration of how Springbok call ups have disrupted his teams preparations. WP are in unfamiliar territory sitting second last on the log with 6 points having only won one of their three fixtures and things are not about to get any easier when they host the Blue Bulls at Newlands. Former Western Province Utility back JJ Engelbrecht makes his debut for the Vodacom bulls after being released from the Springbok squad. With all the disruptions in preparation it should be a tough task for Province, however let’s not forget the hiding the Sharks got from the Bulls after half the Bulls team suffered from flu during the build up week
Teams:
Western Province:
15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Ederies Arendse, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Don Armand, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Deon Carstens
Substitutes: 16 Steven Kitshoff, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Helmut Lehmann, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Damian de Allende, 22 Kurt Coleman
Blue Bulls:
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Francois Venter, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Louis Fouchè, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Dewald Potgieter (captain), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Dawie Steyn
Substitutes: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Cornell Hess, 19 Warwick Tecklenburg, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Lionel Cronje, 22 Jürgen Visser
Prediction : Blue Bulls by 12
Enjoy the Rugby!