Round 13 of the ABSA Currie Cup is upon us and it’s time to gaze into the crystal ball a little and predict what we think will happen.
There’s a lot riding on this one. Getting the result right can help you make serious progress in our Last Man Standing competition, as well as making your way up the log over at SuperBru. For those of you who prefer to take a more direct financial stake in things, perhaps using an online sports betting site, such as Marshalls World of Sport to place a bet on the results will be more your thing. Knowing who’s playing (and who isn’t) is also pretty important for Fantasy League managers.
Game 1: Pumas v Griquas
The Barloworld Toyota Pumas face Griquas in a game that could be quite interesting. For once, it might be a close game if Griquas recent form is anything to go by. Secondly, this is the ideal opportunity for Bjorn Basson to get a record that has stood for 21 years. The flyer needs 2 more tries to equal the record held by Carel du Plessis and Colin Lloyd. Prediction: Griquas by 10 or less.
Pumas: 15. Johan Jackson, 14. Conrad Marais, 13. Shaun Venter, 12. Juan Visser, 11. Nicky Kritzinger, 10. Ricardo Croy, 9. Jacques (Pumas) Coetzee, 8. Christo le Roux, 7. Alwyn Bester, 6. Corne Steenkamp, 5. Marius Coetzer, 4. Luan Velthuizen, 3. Ashley Buys, 2. Hannes Franklin (Captain), 1. Ronnie Uys
Replacements: 16. Hansie van Dyk, 17. Dawie Steyn, 18. Willem Jacob Serfontein, 19. Jaco Bouwer, 20. Hendrik van der Nest, 21. Elgar Watts, 22. Ashwin Scott
Griquas: 15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. Rocco Reginald Jansen, 13. Jean Hermanus Stemmet, 12. Barry Geel, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10. Naas Olivier (Captain), 9. Sarel Pretorius, 8. Leon Karemaker, 7. Danie Burger Schoeman, 6. Justin Downey, 5. Cecil-John Kemp, 4. Edwin Westley Hewitt, 3. Jacobus Petrus Adriaanse, 2. Ryno Barnes, 1. Steph Roberts
Replacements: 16. Simon Westraadt, 17. Jean Botha, 18. Frederik Albertus Spies, 19. Wesley Wilkins, 20. Marnus Hugo, 21. Wilmaure Louw, 22. Rudi Vogt
Game 2: Sharks v Leopards
This game should be the easiest 5 points the Sharks collect all year. That said, talk is cheap and no games are won by having the better team on paper. The Sharks should go out in front of their home crowd and show how they can play and how they want to dominate. There are a few new combinations that are being tried, but these are all class players and they should be able to come through. Prediction: Sharks by 35 or more.
The Sharks: 15. Louis Ludik 14. Odwa Ndungane 13. Andries Strauss 12. Riaan Swanepoel 11. Lwazi Mvovo 10. Andre Pretorius 9. Charl McLeod 8. Keegan Daniel (capt) 7. Willem Alberts 6. Jacques Botes 5. Gerhard Mostert 4. Steven Sykes 3. Jannie du Plessis 2. Craig Burden 1. Eugene van Staden
Replacements 16. Kyle Cooper 17. Patric Cilliers 18. Anton Bresler 19. Michael Rhodes 20. Rory Kockott 21. Patrick Lambie 22. Luzuko Vulindlu
Leopards: 15. Cecil Dumond, 14. Kempie Rautenbach, 13. Jovan Bowles, 12. Walter Venter, 11. Dumisani Matyeshana, 10. Clayton Durand, 9. Tiaan Arno Dorfling, 8. Riaan Swanepoel (Captain), 7. Wilhelm Koch, 6. Victor Hugo Joubert, 5. Edrich Linde, 4. Bradley Peter Mockford, 3. Os Van der Walt, 2. Gavin Williamson, 1. Bennie Geldenhuys Uys
Replacements: 16. Johan Christiaan Oberholzer, 17. Eric Meyer Coetzee, 18. Anthonie Johannes Gronum, 19. RW Kember, 20. Theuns Kotze, 21. Ghafoer Luckan, 22. Jan Van Zyl
Game 3: Blue Bulls v Western Province
This is certainly the game of the weekend and should be a cracker. Western Province would like to win this to secure the second spot and be in a position to try and leapfrog the Sharks in the last round to end the league stage top of the log. The Bulls on the other hand, have to win to stay in the hunt for a home semi, and stand to lose all hope of a semi should they lose this match. This is going down to the wire, and can only be exciting. It should be interesting to see who the Sharks want to win this game. Prediction: Bulls by 7.
Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 François Hougaard, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 Okkie Kruger, 6 Derick Kuün (captain), 5 Fudge Mabeta, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Dewald Potgieter, 20 Ruan Snyman, 21 Francois Brummer, 22 Stephan Dippenaar.
Western Province: 15. Conrad Jantjes, 14. JJ Engelbrecht, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Jean de Villiers, 11. Gio Aplon, 10. Willem de Waal, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Francois Louw, 6. Pieter Louw, 5. Anton van Zyl (Captain), 4. Adriaan Fondse, 3. Brok Harris, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. JD Moller
Replacements: 16. Hanyani Shimange, 17. JC Kritzinger, 18. De Kock Steenkamp, 19. Nick Koster, 20. Conrad Hoffmann, 21. Lionel Cronje, 22. Paul Bosch
Game 4: Cheetahs v Lions
Another cracker game in the second last weekend, and this is the ultimate knockout game. Win and you will get a semi, an away semi, but a semi nonetheless. Lose, and you will finish fifth and your season will end next weekend. The Cheetahs at home are a very difficult team to beat, and will be fired up to keep their good attendance in semi finals. The Lions are a young motivated team that have a sniff of some success and will stop at nothing to reach their goal. I think the Cheetahs should be too strong in this catfight. Prediction: Cheetahs by 10.
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Philip Snyman, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Corné Uys, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Philip van der Walt, 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 Kobus Calldo, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Tertius Carse, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Riaan Smit.
Lions: 15 Michael Killian, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Doppies La Grange, 11 Deon van Rensburg , 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Joshua Strauss, 7 Wikus van Heerden, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco van der Merwe (captain), 4 George Earle, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Wayne Swart, 18 Trevor Hall, 19 Warren Whiteley, 20 JP Joubert, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Marius Delport.
Two VERY big games this weekend, cant wait!
Tough ones to call this weekend! I expect a few shuffles on the SB leaderbords.
Lions by ten… And bulls by twenty!
Must admit if I was Plum I’d have given some bench players a starting run in this one – in particular Cooper, Rhodes and Kockett.
ok lets c if me will be right this week end and bring me up from
in one of my pools from 11 place to at least 8 or even 5 would be good eish but even 1st place would be ice cream in my mouth
Sharks by 28
Grikkies by 13
BB by 15
Cheets by 10 know what do you say me head on or what
@neilster (Comment 4) : agree maybe it will bring the young one s up to steam kockett should of been in the starting 15 ages ago
The Province to beat the Bulls. (I hope. Please rugby gods let it happen.)
And Lions to upset the States.
Betting the farm with Pumas. They beat Griquas the previous round?
@JustPlainSHARK (Comment 8) : I have gone with the Pumas on LMS. I had Sharks, Leopards and Pumas left over. The Sharks would have been the surething, but then I’d have to pick the Pumas next weekend and they aren’t going to win next week.
Do or die for me this weekend.
@KSA Pink Shark © (Comment 9) : Sharks this week and Lions or Leopards next week, hmm who to pick then
@McLovin (Comment 7) :
WP and Cheetahs will both win their games!!
Come on Liiiiiioooooonsss!!
Have a good feeling about wp as well. Wonder who the ref is . . .
craig joubert
@wpw (Comment 11) : zero from two for you
Colin Lloyd? Purleeese….
@wpw (Comment 11) : I love your pic, MC Wes
@KSA Pink Shark © (Comment 9) : I’m in the same situation. While I’ll be screaming my lungs out for JD, Stemmo and the rest of the Griquas boys, I’ve been forced to go with a Pumas win on LMS.
Next week I have the Lions.
@Greg (Comment 14) :
Yeah right!!
Am I the only one that has already used the Pumas twice?
I have the Sharks this weekend..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 19) :
No Im not.. 23 others have the Sharks..
@wpw (Comment 18) : Well, I can hope, can’t I
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 19) :
I did as well!!
But I lost my lifeline when the Bulls lost to them!!
Five star baby! Yeah!
@KSA Pink Shark © (Comment 9) : I made a mess up early on and now I have Leopards, Cheetahs or Bulls on LMS. Decisions, decisions.
@war1 (Comment 23) : Nice, well done.
@lostfish (Comment 24) :
Go with the Leopards!! They are still due a good game this season!!
@wpw (Comment 26) : cheeky
@wpw (Comment 26) : Yeah right.. and they’re predicting snow tonight in Durban
@CS (Comment 28) :
Shush man. I need some lifelines to be lost and I need it now!!
Why not have a seperate thread for you guys on LMS to discuss ..this is a thread to discuss the teams and their chances not you ouens hanging in on a thread
on LMS 
Lions to win by 5 and Province by 15.
You heard it here first!
@butchboy (Comment 13) : Oh Shaize! Congrats Bulls!
@war1 (Comment 23) :