With only four rounds of Currie Cup action left, things are starting to hot up for sure. The Lions will look to all but seal top spot if they can do the double over the Bulls, while there’s a real logjam further down the table with five other team still only a few points apart and scrapping furiously for the other three play-off spots.
Pumas v Leopards
The clash of the minnows is the only game this round that isn’t of any real interest in terms of the knock-out permutations, with both sides assured of finishing well outside of the top 4. It’s quite easy to call, for me. The Pumas are at home, they have their tails up after a good win against Griquas and the Leopards have plenty of injuries. Those three factors together should see the Pumas win by 10.
Pumas: 15. MJ Mentz, 14. Wilhelm Hendrik Loock, 13. JW Jonker, 12. Siviwe Magaba, 11. Johan Jackson, 10. Coenie van Wyk, 9. Shaun Venter, 8. Christo le Roux, 7. Jaco Bouwer, 6. Corne Steenkamp (Captain), 5. Marius Coetzer, 4. Willem Serfontein, 3. Brett Nel, 2. Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1. Dawie Steyn
Replacements: 16. Pellow van der Westhuizen, 17. Michael de Neuilly-Rice, 18. Eduan Van Der Walt, 19. JP Mostert, 20. Hendrik van der Nest, 21. Dewald Pretorius, 22. Carl Bezuidenhout
Leopards: 15. George Tossel, 14. Hoffman Maritz, 13. Charl Weideman, 12. Joubert Engelbrecht (Captain), 11. Jovan Bowles, 10. Wesley Dunlop, 9. Johann Laker, 8. Robert Kruger, 7. Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 6. Philip de Wet, 5. Bradley Mockford, 4. Brendon Snyman, 3. Bêrend Botha, 2. Gavin Williamson, 1. Jéan Jacques Rossouw
Replacements: 16. Marius Fourie, 17. Dewald Coetzee, 18. Juan Pretorius, 19. Dries van Schalkwyk, 20. Liam Slatem, 21. Vainon Willis, 22. Clayton Durand
Sharks v Griquas
Both sides need to win this game very badly, which should make for entertaining viewing. Having lost badly against the Cheetahs, the home side need a full house here to try and get their noses ahead of Province on the log and to keep some semblance of pressure on the Lions, who are now racing away at the top of the table. Griquas, on the other hand, will know that their loss to the Pumas has dealt an almost-fatal blow to their own semi-final hopes and that they really can’t afford to lose again. The Sharks will need to make a huge improvement in all aspect of play, lest they repeat the shocking result that saw Griquas annihilate them in Kimberley earlier in the year. I see home ground advantage and a somewhat stronger team, at least on paper, giving the Sharks a win by 8 points.
Sharks: 15. Stefan Terblanche, 14. Sibusiso Sithole, 13. Marius Joubert, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Frederic Michalak, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Keegan Daniel (Captain), 7. Jean Deysel, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Alistair Hargreaves, 4. Anton Bresler, 3. Eugene van Staden, 2. Kyle Cooper, 1. Dale Chadwick
Replacements: 16. Monde Hadebe, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Ross Skeate, 19. Marcell Coetzee, 20. Charl McLeod, 21. Adrian Jacobs, 22. Louis Ludik
Griquas: 15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. Dusty Noble, 13. Wilmaure Louw, 12. Matthew Rosslee, 11. Rocco Jansen, 10. Earl Rose, 9. Marnus Hugo, 8. Jonathan Mokuena (Captain), 7. Davon Raubenheimer, 6. Justin Downey, 5. Frikkie Spies, 4. Hendrik Roodt, 3. Lourens Adriaanse, 2. Ryno Barnes, 1. Ivann Espag
Replacements: 16. Simon Westraadt, 17. Steph Roberts, 18. Leon Karemaker, 19. Marnus Schoeman, 20. Hanno Coetzee, 21. Monty Dumond, 22. Rudi Vogt
Lions v Blue Bulls
This could be intriguing. The Lions won the first match between these sides at a canter, but the Bulls were better against Western Province, despite almost losing it in the second half. The smart money, though, says that this Lions team is now on too much of a role and too composed to lose a match at home to a side as limited as the Blue Bulls class of 2011. The Pretoria boys will throw everything they have into the game, but the Lions will emerge with the spoils, by about 12 points.
Lions: 15. Jaco Taute, 14. Deon van Rensburg, 13. Doppies la Grange, 12. Alwyn Hollenbach, 11. Michael Killian, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Michael Bondesio, 8. Joshua Strauss (Captain), 7. Derick Minnie, 6. Cobus Grobbelaar, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Michael Rhodes, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Bandise Maku, 1. JC Janse van Rensburg
Replacements: 16. Martin Bezuidenhout, 17. Jacobie Adriaanse, 18. David Bulbring, 19. Warren Whiteley, 20. Rudy Paige, 21. Burton Francis, 22. James Kamana
Bulls: Zane Kirchner, Born Basson, Wynand Olivier, Francois Venter, Gerhard van den Heever, Louis Fouché/Francois Brummer, Jano Vermaak, CJ Stander, Jacques Potgieter, Dewald Potgieter, Juandré Kruger, Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Gary Botha (captain), Dean Greyling.
Replacements: Willie Wepener, Rossouw de Klerk, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Arno Botha, Dustin Jinka, Francois Brummer/Marnitz Boshoff, Jurgen Visser.
Western Province v Cheetahs
This is the game that could cause the biggest shake-up on the log, with Western Province holding onto second spot by their fingertips, with the Cheetahs also agonisingly close to home semi-final territory. The Sharks will move ahead of Province should they beat Griquas, but both teams will know that by winning here, they can position themselves most favourably in no worse than third spot, a scant point or two behind the Durbanites. Province have a nightmare injury toll which I feel will outweigh their home ground advantage and with the Cheetahs looking settled and menacing, I see the Bloem boys taking it. Cheetahs by 6 points.
WP: TBA
Cheetahs: 15. Hennie Daniller, 14. Rayno Benjamin, 13. Robert Ebersohn, 12. Philip Snyman, 11. Cameron Jacobs, 10. Johan Goosen, 9. Piet van Zyl, 8. Ashley Johnson, 7. Boom Prinsloo, 6. Pieter Labuschagne, 5. Izak van der Westhuizen, 4. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3. Coenie Oosthuizen, 2. Adriaan Strauss (Captain), 1. Marcel Van Der Merwe
Replacements: 16. Hercu Liebenberg, 17. Trevor Nyakane, 18. Francois (FS) Uys, 19. Johan Wessels, 20. Tewis de Bruyn, 21. Sias Ebersohn, 22. Andries Strauss
Picked Leopards on LMS.
!00 % same picks as me .. get ready to have a horrid superbru round
@JarsonX (Comment 1) :
i did that in round one and it payed off so yea ….
After seeing Piet van Zyl dance his way by a few of our defenders last weekend, I’ll be watching him with newfound interest.
Hendrik Roodt. I know there’s a blogger from NZ who’ll tell you how far below avg he is but personally I think he’s done really well this season to date. With us having only 4 recognised locks on the books at the moment + Alberts can fill the roll like he did for the Boks if necessary, this game is an opportunity to have a closer look at this physical type lock and decide if he’d be a good backup addition to the SR squad, if the selectors don’t feel Peet Marais is ready to step up yet.
@beet (Comment 5) :
the stories are he has already signed for the Lions .
Where’s the Province line up already?
So when do we get a FL update?
@Franshark (Comment 8) : That’s what I want to know
@JarsonX (Comment 7) : @Greg (Comment 9) : They’ve withdrawn from the Currie Cup. No point in competing with the unstoppable Lions there.
@Greg (Comment 9) : did u came first in the round
@Greg (Comment 9) : I know who came 2nd
@Franshark (Comment 12) : Did better than last week, and about the same as the week before!
WP Team: Jantjes, Poolman, Sadie, Brache, JJ, Cronje, Duvenage, Koster, Daniller, Fenton-Wells, Steenkamp, Lobberts, Harris, Liebenberg, Moller
Bench: Fourie, Malherbe, Carr, Kolisi, Schreuder, Klaasen, Steyl
@Greg (Comment 13) : you had 7points more than me to steel the 1st place and earned the exsta 50 points… My best round ever..
@Franshark (Comment 15) : I have had a good 3 weeks
Week 8 : First place
Week 9 : Second
Week 10 : First
Have moved up to 7th place overall!
@Greg (Comment 16) : I’m nou 9th, few weeks ago I was 43… But u kick ass now.. Congrats bru…
@Original Pierre (Comment 14) :
NOW they pic cronje … amazing ….
@McLovin (Comment 10) : Geez dude, but you do go on… hey by the way, have I mentiond that Oz lost to Ireland?
@Franshark (Comment 17) : Thanks, if things go well for me, I can be right up there come the end of the competition
Of course, I could always crash and burn over the next four weeks too!
@Culling Song (Comment 19) : He does go on a bit, doesn’t he?
But then again, when you are right, you are right
@Greg (Comment 21) :
@Greg (Comment 21) :
Lionel Cronje getting a rare start for WP. JD Moller also getting his first game in a very long time (fallen well out of favour).
WP to get crushed by Cheetahs IMO. Starting to resemble a club side now in that forward pack, so can’t see the backs getting near enough good ball.
Team: Conrad Jantjes, Danie Poolman, Johann Sadie, Marcel Brache, JJ Engelbrecht , Lionel Cronje, Dewaldt Duvenage, Nick Koster, Tertius Daniller, Sean Fenton-Wells, De Kock Steenkamp, Hilton Lobberts, Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg, JD Moller.
Bench: Deon Fourie, Frans Malherbe, Nizaam Carr, Siya Kolisi, Louis Schreuder, Berton Klaasen, Heinrich Steyl.
@hendrikp (Comment 25) : Who is the reserve lock? Tertius?
I enjoy watching Steyl play. Hopefully he gets onto the park.
@beet (Comment 26) :
Must be. Probably not the right time to introduce Etzebeth so can’t say I’m unhappy about it.
But at the same time think AC should stop blaming injuries. If you have a look they aren’t really missing that many players to injuries. Mostly it’s Springbok duty, something they should’ve been prepared for.
Also, I’d be pissed if I were the U21 coach. Has to pick new players each week. Now they’re left with no starting scrumhalf either
6 of his players there, and another 2 out injured while playing for senior side (Kitshoff & Groom).
@hendrikp (Comment 28) : I’d still back the WP u21 to beat VS. Despite all the missing players, the 2 possies that they will hurt in the most are 8 and 9. Not having Scheuder or Groom means turning to an inexperienced starter in Fred Muller. At 8, Nizaam has been huge for them. He’s an 80min threat and a really good ball player. Otherwise it’s a good starting pack that should dominate VS and the line from 10-15 looks awesome on paper. I haven’t seen JP play in about 3 yrs but I can vouch for the rest of the guys. They are talented, quick and creative.
Interesting to see that Sam Lane is preferred to Coleman and JP to Ryan Nell.
There’s no thread for the Lions vs Bulls game yet… So if there’s anyone out there… Let’s chat here..
Line out to the Lions with the first kickoff of the game..
Jano Vermaak score’s after a good chip from Basson
Fouche Converts
Lions 0 – 7 Bulls
4min
Lions stoped 5meters from the Bulls line
Both teams full of running…
Lions line out right on the half way line…
Lions penalty
Elton PK
Lions 3 – 7 Bulls
14min
Lions penalized twice in a row for sealing the ball
Bulls score again
It looked like the ref got that penalty all wrong
Lions 3 – 15 Bulls
24min
Looks like we have a bloubul ref today.
Fouche to take a pealty kick from 55meters out… Over
@McLovin (Comment 43) : absolutely… Volbloed blou
@McLovin (Comment 43) : you needed to build that provisio into the “unstoppable” theory – biased ref.
Lions 3 – 18 Bulls
27min
Lions awarded a penalty and opts for a line out
@beet (Comment 46) : That’s the only way they can be stopped. Bribe the ref.
Lions awarded a penalty and opts for a line out… Again
The bulls win the Lions line out
Lions penalized at will @ brake down points on the ground..
Poor technique by Taute. He had time to release the ball and get up instead of giving away a pen.
Looks like this ref went to the Pro Legoete referee school.
@McLovin (Comment 54) :
Why in the name of Gaia are the Lions not going for goal?
Deon Greyling Yellow…
Finally they go for goal.
Absolutely idiotic not to go for goal.
Right on half time and lions this time goes for poles with a PK
Lions 6 – 18 Bulls
HALF TIME
@McLovin (Comment 58) : don’t understand their thinking
Killian try
Elton Converts
Lions 13 – 18 Bulls
42min
Good clearance kick by Taute
Killian replaced by Kamana…
Step here and step there and off goes Kamana…
Olivier gets a Yellow… High tackle
Dirty Bulls must be thinking it’s xmas with all the cards they’re getting.
@Franshark (Comment 67) : more like a stif arm.. Dangerous.. Bulls with only 13 players…
@McLovin (Comment 68) :
thanks for the updates frans
Bulls back to 14 players
@juba_fan (Comment 71) : shot mate
Lions awarded a penalty… Line out… Knock_on
Fouche drop goal missed
Lions need to catch a wake up.
Olivier about to return…
Good scrum by Lions
Lions held up over the line…
Good cohesion by the Lions
Lions attacking like madmen… Bulls defending in the same wane
Strauss try
Bulls tried their best to stop the Lions.
But they’re just unstoppable.
The Lions short passing game is a sight for sore eyes.
2 FL tries thus far in the game
Elton Convertion missed
Lions 18 – 18 Bulls
60min
@McLovin (Comment 83) :
@McLovin (Comment 83) :
Sharks will stop them in Durbz
Fouche drop goal over
Lions by 7.
Lions 18 – 21 Bulls
63min
@JarsonX (Comment 88) :
@JarsonX (Comment 88) : Too late then.
TMO decision for bulls try… Deemed knocked on…
Through a penalty kick the Lions gets away from their try line
@McLovin (Comment 93) : Then we will just have to stop them again in the final
12 min
@JarsonX (Comment 96) : that’s for sure…
C’mon Lions!
Lions to score 2 tries in the last 10 min… All for SB
Lions opt for lineout after awarded a penalty
Line out 7meters from the line..
Converted try and a dropgoal or penalty for my SB.
Another penalty… This one kickable…
@JarsonX (Comment 103) : at this stage a lions win only will also do… Bulls not to win…
Big gamble from the Lions.
Lions opt for line out
Bulls defense good
Superb defence from the Bulle.
Lions tackled out… Bulls line out
The Lions tactic of not kicking for goal from penalties coming back to bite them in the arse.
Lions win the ball but knocks on in the commotion
Lions crush the bulls in the scrum…
Reset scrum
Bulls have position… Line out close to halfway line… Quick throu by lions…
Quick call the kids, grankids, neighbours, etc. The lions are about to be stopped.
Well done Bulls.
Knockon ends it for the Lions…
Lions 18 – 21 Bulls
FULL TIME
Well, I guess we know what can stop the Invincible Lions: sheer bloody stupidity!
How many unkicked points were there?
Its national braai dag so I have to do my part in all that…
Dam can the Bulls have that much luck
The one thing I have learned today is that the Lions needs a scrumhalf desperately
I wonder if we’ve ever had 3 sets of brothers playing against each other in the CC before: Danillers, Liebenbergs and Steenkamps
we had a strange issue with match threads today… sorry guys. Carry on here
Score update
WP 6 – 17 Cheets
24min
Sorry I’m just keeping one eye on the game here…
WP 6 – 24 Cheets
30min
Cheetahs 24
WP 6
30min
I always worry about JJ Engelbrecht’s level of concentration for 80min
Halftime
Cheetahs 24
WP 6
another SA team not taking the 3 points when on offer, not the brightest bunch us saffas
@beet (Comment 125) : doubt it
Jacobs, van Zyl and lappies was the try scorer’s…
Admin took the day off it seems
@Franshark (Comment 134) : None in my FL team
WP 13 – 24 Cheets
48min
WP try!
WP 13
Cheetahs 24
WP 20 – 24 Cheets
55min
WP 20
Cheetahs 24
@JarsonX (Comment 135) : apologies guys.
We have a glitch. Will get it sorted asap. am on my phone so can’t do anything about it right now.
Kom nou Vrystaaaaaaat! Julle is vas aan die slaap!
@JarsonX (Comment 140) : C’mon WP please win but only with 3 tries.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 143) : Pick Cheetahs by 2
@beet (Comment 142) : Mooi so Vrystaat bly aan die slaap.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 141) : No worries
@JarsonX (Comment 144) : Dunno what my margin was but I went with WP. And I only want the 4 ppint win so we stay above them on the log.
How much time is left?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 145) : KSA Haai, ek dog ons wil he^ VS moet wen???
@KSA Shark © (Comment 147) : I get you
@beet (Comment 149) : Ek het in Kroonstad skool gegaan maar sal nooit vir die Vrystaat skree nie. Hulle afrigters (huidig en voriges) maak my gat hare krul en my gat spiere lam.
Almal goeie spelers maar vrot afrigters, Helgaard Muller, Naka Drotske, Brendan Venter.
En hulle ondersteuners met hulle aanhoudende “julle steel on spelers” gesanik help nie veel met my gevoelens teenoor hulle span nie.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 152) :
WP 20
Cheetahs 27
72min
@KSA Shark © (Comment 152) : Rooiskool of Blouskool in Kroonstad. Was Sowerby nie vanaf daardie plek af nie?
WP 20 – 27 Cheets
70min
Sias drop goal
@beet (Comment 155) : HTS Kroonstad ’86 voor hulle met die blouskool saam gesmelt het. Nie seker van Sowerby nie. Ons groot spelers was Ian Hattingh (TVL) Derick Grobelaar (Bulle, klasmaat van std 6 tot matriek) Andre Pawson, Cecil Steyger (altwee NOFS) end dan Natuurlik Gert Smal.
Well done Cheetahs.
Coenie try
WP can’t keep giving teams a 15-20 point head start and expect to win.
I love it! Coenie you beauty! All set up by the fake drop goal action by Ashley Johnson
WP 20 – 34 Cheets
77min
Sias convertion
@KSA Shark © (Comment 157) : Ian Hattingh was my PE teacher at my highschool
Okay so my SB is screwed this weekend but at least the results are the Best we could have wished for log wise.
@JarsonX (Comment 163) : I was his Std 6 slave when he was in matric in ’81. Did you know he has a twin brother?
nice guy but hard as nails.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 164) : well, woulda been better had neither the Cheetahs nor the Lions got a bonus point, but who’s being picky?
WP 20 – 34 Cheets
FuLL TIME
@KSA Shark © (Comment 165) : Nope didn’t know
@Franshark (Comment 167) : wanneer het hy ‘n vyfstermens geword? Geluk!
Okay I have to start driving again, later. Cheers.
MOTM Coenie
@robdylan (Comment 169) : thanks laas naweek
Cheers all.
I think that Goosen ( 10 for Cheetahs ) kid is something special. The Sharks should take a long hard look at him.
@Silver Fox (Comment 174) : he’s good all right, but we’ve got lots of good 10s at the moment
Agree, but it won’t hurt looking somewhat into the future. Freddie will not be around much longer, Lambie should have an adequate replacement. I also get the feeling that this kid may well slot nicely into either fullback or centre. His boot alone is worth having for you rather than against.
And then Ludik imo have never reached his potential after leaving the Lions. I blame that devastating injury, and now this hand…..
Anyway, I always say the Sharks must buy everything that looks half promising
@Silver Fox (Comment 176) : for sure
But we have Jordaan and Zeilinga as well ,who are good prospects, not to mention Rob du Preez
Hehehe Rob, if I had my silly way we would have had no one to play against!
I really like the way the youngsters are coming through, not only in Natal, though especially there. SA’s problem will be in accommodating the wealth of talent.
@Big Fish (Comment 121) :
Jip Lions most defiantly not good enough in this game . back to the drawing board . hopefully we see a much improved performance from the boys next week but this most certainly was not good enough
@robdylan (Comment 177) :
dam every time you pick the Lions in a big game they loose
stop doing that !!! hahah