To Hamilton we go for Chiefs v Blues, kicking off at 09h35 SA time.
Chiefs: 15. Damian McKenzie, 14. Shaun Stevenson, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 12. Charlie Ngatai, 11. James Lowe, 10. Aaron Cruden, 9. Brad Weber, 8. Michael Leitch, 7. Sam Cane (Captain), 6. Maama Vaipulu, 5. Brodie Retallick, 4. Dominic Bird, 3. Atunaisa Moli, 2. Hikawera Elliott, 1. Mitchell Graham
Replacements: 16. Rhys Marshall, 17. Siate Tokolahi, 18. Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 19. Taleni Seu, 20. Sam Henwood, 21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22. Seta Tamanivalu, 23. Sam McNicol
Blues: 15. Lolagi Visinia, 14. Rieko Ioane, 13. Rene Ranger, 12. Pierts Francis, 11. Tevita Li, 10. Ihaia West, 9. Bryn Hall, 8. Steven Luatua, 7. Blake Gibson, 6. Joe Edwards, 5. Josh Bekhuis, 4. Hoani Matenga, 3. Charlie Faumuina, 2. James Parsons (Captain), 1. Sam Prattley
Replacements: 16. Quentin MacDonald, 17. Namatahi Waa, 18. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 19. Akira Ioane, 20. Kara Pryor, 21. Billy Guyton, 22. Matt McGahan, 23. George Moala
Next, at 1pm, it’s Force v Crusaders.
Force : 15. Dane Haylett-Petty, 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Ben Tapuai, 12. Junior Rasolea, 11. Semisi Masirewa, 10. Peter Grant, 9. Alby Mathewson, 8. Ben McCalman, 7. Matthew Hodgson (Captain), 6. Angus Cottrell, 5. Adam Coleman, 4. Steve Mafi, 3. Tetera Faulkner, 2. Heath Tessmann, 1. Pekahou Cowan
Replacements: 16. Nathan Charles, 17. Francois van Wyk, 18. Jermaine Ainsley, 19. Rory Walton, 20. Richard Hardwick, 21. Ryan Louwrens, 22. Ian Prior, 23. Albert Nikoro
Crusaders: 15. Ben Volavola, 14. Johnny McNicholl, 13. Sean Wainui, 12. Ryan Crotty, 11. Nemani Nadolo, 10. Richard Mo’unga, 9. Mitchell Drummond, 8. Kieran Read (Captain), 7. Matt Todd, 6. Jordan Taufua, 5. Samuel Whitelock, 4. Luke Romano, 3. Owen Franks, 2. Codie Taylor, 1. Wyatt Crockett
Replacements: 16. Ged Robinson, 17. Joe Moody, 18. Michael Alaalatoa, 19. Scott Barrett, 20. Jimmy Tupou, 21. Andy Ellis, 22. Kieron Fonotia, 23. Jone Macilai

Rob, any idea what our 2016 Currie Cup jersey looks like?
@DuToit04 (Comment 3) : No, not actually…. will wait for photo’s from tonight’s game.
@DuToit04 (Comment 3) : Currie Cup jerseys tend to stay the same for a couple of years. That’s why I prefer them to SR jerseys, you don’t have to buy one every year.
Chiefs haven’t been so devastating in this game yet. Still 40 mins to get it right. Chiefs by 22
@Fox (Comment 6) : The Chiefs are deadly with ball in hand though…
Another TMO howler in the Chiefs game. Foot clearly on the line, try given. The guys in the studio said that the TMO does not have the technology that they have in studio. Is that true?
Wonderful try by the Blues…and the Chiefs are behind…
If the Blues play like this against us we will struggle, I reckon…
Another brilliant try by the Blues…
And that makes it 10-20 to the Blues. The Chiefs have work to do here!
Chiefs strike back with a beauty…
Chiefs roar back onto attack…but a knock on in front of the sticks brings that to a halt…
15-20 after 52 minutes…
@Southern_Shark (Comment 5) : Good Point, i am very focused on detail, so if there is a minor change then i want it. lol. just a “nice to have”
I wonder what McKenzie finds so funny?
Missing every kick shouldn’t be a laughing (or smiling) matter.
Having silly quirks before you kick is all good and well if you can back it up by slotting your goals.
Why don’t they let Cruden kick?
Another Chiefs try…20-20…
@nortie (Comment 17) : McKenzie has kicked pretty well this year…but missed everything today. I suppose in his defence every try has been in the corner…
@pastorshark (Comment 19) : Ah there it is…nice kick!
The Chiefs in the lead 22-20…great comeback after the Blues put the pressure on!
Stephen Donald?! Wow, is he still alive?
@pastorshark (Comment 19) :
, so neither should he
Yeah, but we who picked the Chiefs by quite a margin don’t find him missing so many funny
Blatant forward missed by both ref and touch judge…who were BOTH dead in line…
@nortie (Comment 23) : I hear you…I’m in the same predicament!
22-20 after 65 minutes…
But my word these refs aren’t great. Lazy runners not blown, forward passes missed…ai!
FULL TIME
CHIEFS 29 – 23 BLUES
@pastorshark (Comment 27) : according to the commentators he had an very good game!?!?
Good start on Superbru. 1 win 1 margin point.
@JD (Comment 30) : yeah me too. Only out by 1
@robdylan (Comment 31) : had them by 10 so I’m out by 4. Now Saders must beat Force by 12!
@JD (Comment 32) : haha i had them by 9. Can Force do the upset again…
@JD (Comment 29) : His general game management was good…but they just seem to mess up so many basic decisions…
@JD (Comment 30) : @robdylan (Comment 31) : Penalty after the hooter robbed me of my margin point…
@pastorshark (Comment 35) : and secured me mine
@robdylan (Comment 36) : Well played…
Not sure this result is a good thing for the Sharks. Will the Blues have taken confidence out of the close result or would they have been more dangerous next week if they were thrashed today, wanting to bounce back?
Either way, the Sharks need to, IMO, play them like they did the crusaders. I know it’s not “the Lion’s way” and supporters want to see our sides run and play Kiwiesque rugby, but why play into their hands?
Give them nothing, no space, no chance to get going, tackle them black and blue and take the few chances that come your way.
Oh, and don’t kick the ball back to them the whole time, but everyone except the SA players know that.
@pastorshark (Comment 34) : only watched the last 10min so can’t comment but the feeling I have is a lot of NZ guys would rather have a flowing game than ref blow every little mistake!?
@pastorshark (Comment 35) : @robdylan (Comment 36) : I had mine either way ;-P
@nortie (Comment 38) : it seemed like a typically derby match where the underdogs over performed. If Sharks play like they did against the Saders they would have a good chance of beating the Blues (just better kicking).
@nortie (Comment 38) : I think you’re right…
@JD (Comment 39) : I’m not advocating pedantic every little thing whistle blowing. But if guys score a try when a foot was in touch and when a clear forward pass was involved…well, call me old fashioned, but I think refs should see that if they’re looking at a replay or are dead in line…and then they should blow it…
Crusaders-Force underway…
Crusaders win an early penalty!
Crusaders with an attacking scrum middle of the field…
@pastorshark (Comment 43) : Well i agree with your old fashioned self
@nortie (Comment 38) : Your fourth and sixth sentences don’t seem to be consistent?
Read makes plenty of yards…
Nadolo well tackled…
Nadolo with a lovely offload to the scrummy and the Crusaders are in…
Just great hands and a very good try!
The Crusaders kicker is pretty inconsistent…he misses a relatively straight forward conversion…
0-5 after 6 minutes…
Penalty Force and Grant puts them on the board…
3-5 after 9 minutes…
@Bokhoring (Comment 48) :
?
Not sure I’m seeing what you are seeing.
Morahan is shocking under the high ball and the Crusaders end up with a penalty…
They kick it out and have an attacking lineout…
Another penalty to the Crusaders…another poor bit of discipline by the Force…
This time they go for posts and the easy kick is over…
@nortie (Comment 57) : You seem to say don’t run the ball, but also don’t kick everything. Or do you mean only run when you have decent field position and momentum?
3-8 after 12 minutes…
Immediately a penalty to the Force again…Grant will take another shot…
@pastorshark (Comment 43) : 100% correct! That said it seems as if the standard of refereeing this year is really bad!
@JD (Comment 65) : Hmm…concerning…
Grant nails it…6-8 after 15 mins…
@nortie (Comment 23) : Very good point, and really not a laughable matter as that cost me a MP, he should know that that is the same for us than the BP system
Big tackle!! Wow…
Crusaders do like to play…wow…but it does put them under pressure sometimes…
The Force use that pressure and almost score! Just the last pop too low and the centre can’t catch it…
Pek Cowan injured and coming off the field…
@Bokhoring (Comment 62) :
Ok, sorry, yep, don’t run from all over just because people think it’s a nice and correct way to play.
Kicking, I mean, I wish our teams would stop kicking down the Kiwi opponents’ throats. Kick the ball into row J, don’t give them the opportunity to even take a quick throw in.
I feel that both the Sharks and the Stormers are in a similar situation regarding game plan at the moment, I also want to see my side run and score tries, but pick your opponent. If the Stormers don’t win with a BP for tries tonight I will be very disappointed, if you can’t do it against the worst side in the comp, when will you do it?
That hit I described earlier didn’t exactly involve a whole heap of arms…
The TMO with a shocker…he called it out and it was not anywhere near…
The Force with another turnover…
Saders not as sharp as usual!!!
The Force have a chance from this lineout..but it is not in straight…
Something in the Perth water / air don’t seem to agree with the Crusaders.
@JD (Comment 77) : Quite a lot of turnovers…
And another little knock as it gets loose…
@Bokhoring (Comment 79) : That seems relatively common for the Saders there. To me it just looks like not enough concentration…
Johnny McNicoll with a lovely run but the final pass is juuuust a bit to far in front of his mate…
@Bokhoring (Comment 79) :
Maybe that’s where Suzie fled to in ’95, that’s probably why she has never been found after all this time.
Terrible pass to Grant, terrible kick by Grant…
The Saders have an attacking lineout in the Force 22…
McNicoll scores for the Crusaders…good try…
That was an awesome try by McNiccol
At least AC can find 1 positive for the Bokke out of the two matches so far…the NZ goalkicking.
Another missed conversion kept it at 6-13 after 30 minutes…
The Force put the Saders under pressure but then concede a penalty and the pressure can be relieved…
Force have the ball after the halftime hooter…
A kick and then high tackle by the Force ends that particular play and the Crusaders kick it out and have one more shot in the half…
@nortie (Comment 89) : There is that…
Oh dear…that wasn’t the hooter…the clock on the screen changed to 40.00…now it’s back to 36…weird!
@nortie (Comment 88) : Really good…McNicoll is in top form…how good was the sidestep and back flip by the hooker?
@pastorshark (Comment 96) : Wonder if McNicoll has got the AB selectors having a look yet…
Oh my word…a lovely pop to Nadolo and he could have been away…but knocks it…oh dear…
@SheldonK (Comment 97) : I reckon they should at least be looking…pace, hands, skills, creative…he has been really good in the last month or so…
@pastorshark (Comment 95) :
Lol, I’m watching in the office on a Walka and was thinking, wow, is a Walka 4 minutes behind?
Crusaders with another chance with a scrum on halfway…
@nortie (Comment 100) : There is the hooter now…that was weird…their clock changed for like 10 seconds…
@pastorshark (Comment 96) :
Brilliant, was such a great buildup and they know how to finish
It gets all scrappy…and that is genuinely halftime now…
Now it’s half time 13-6 Saders lead.
@nortie (Comment 103) : Absolutely…
6-13 at halftime…
The Crusaders are the more dominant team…but the Force are still in it…they have hung in there…
And Handre Pollard is still making a joke of himself with that ad…embarrassing!!
Currant score?
@pastorshark (Comment 109) : geez that’s a shit ad must be the worse advert ever!!!
@JarsonX (Comment 110) : 13-6 for Saders.
@pastorshark (Comment 109) : Suppose he has to do something besides play xbox all day
@pastorshark (Comment 99) : Fully agree
@JarsonX (Comment 110) : 6-13 to the Crusaders…
Nevamind
@JD (Comment 111) : So bad it’s hilarious!
@JarsonX (Comment 116) :
Thanks, having a terrible time with my data connection today
@SheldonK (Comment 113) : Sure…someone should advise him to show the ad to his friends before releasing it…one would hope they would prevent him from embarrassing himself like that…
@pastorshark (Comment 117) : more like nauseating!!!
Hahahahaha…interviewing Force coach and he says, “Shit mate…” on live TV…hahahahaha!
@JD (Comment 121) : I quite enjoy him making a fool of himself…
@pastorshark (Comment 109) :
Well, he is a better actor than rugby player
@pastorshark (Comment 120) : can’t believe Vodacom is still using it!
@JD (Comment 121) : At least we know that there is one rugby player who will not be going into acting once his career is done!
@JD (Comment 125) : Cell C made a far better ad with John Smit than Vodacom did with Pollard, that’s for sure…
Well, where I live Vodacom’s signal is about as good as that ad…so maybe it does make sense…
@nortie (Comment 124) : Hahahaha
there is that…
The Force begin with a penalty early in the second half and Grant nails it…
9-13 after 43 mins…
Volavola stuffs up the high ball and the Force have a scrum…
Another Force player is down…
@nortie (Comment 124) : @pastorshark (Comment 129) : well going on his acting it’s not difficult to be better at anything else!
And off we go again…
@pastorshark (Comment 128) : must say here in Middle Earth Vodacom is not bad at all! However it could be because we’re on the N1?!
Again the Crusaders put themselves under pressure…scrum to the Force in the Saders 22…
@JD (Comment 136) : That’ll be it…
@JD (Comment 134) :
I’m not sure, I think he would make a brilliant Pinoccio, he might struggle to be convincing once Pinoccio becomes a human though
Force attack hard!
Force scrum 5m out now…
@pastorshark (Comment 137) : Saders not looking all that good today!?
@nortie (Comment 139) : Good one…
@JD (Comment 142) : Yup…lots of mistakes…seem to lack intensity…
@pastorshark (Comment 144) : maybe the Sharks and Lions soften them up for the Force.
All a bit predictable and ponderous by the Force…
Now they go wide and are almost through…
After plenty of attacking phases the Force get a penalty…
@JD (Comment 145) : I think it is probably a concentration/intensity thing when you go into a game thinking you’ll win easily…
Grant takes the shot…and nails it!
12-13 after 52 minutes…
And the Force get another penalty…this time Nadolo pinged…
Poor lineout gives the Saders the ball…
The Saders just can’t get going today…
Crusaders steal another lineout…and then it is turnover, turnover, ping-pong, knock on, knock on…very scrappy!
Force player off with a knee injury…
If I were the Sharks and Lions looking at this game I would surely be thinking “how on earth did we lose to these guys?”
@pastorshark (Comment 120) : Um well it is Pretoria soooo….
@SheldonK (Comment 158) : Again…there is that…
The Force put on more pressure an have a lineout in the Saders 22…let’s see whether they can win a lineout on their own throw…
Again they can’t take their own lineout ball…ai!
The Force win a penalty at the breakdown…well done…
They haven’t won a lineout in 3…let’s see what they do here…
And the hooker is replaced…
They lose another lineout!!
Well the Force line out is way worse than the Sharks!!!
This time the throw was perfect but the jumper let it go straight through his hands!
@JD (Comment 166) : Waaaaay!!
Crusaders win a penalty after looking very flat…
Try to the Force!!!!!!
More loose rubbish from the Saders, the Force counter and with a bit of luck get in…
That makes it 17-13 and the Crusaders have real work to do…
Good. That will teach Ellis to take a stupid quick tap.
Why 9′s still think they can magically run through a whole team from halfway just because you took a quick tap is beyond me.
Grant nails the conversion…so 19-13 after 62 minutes…
Tough fourth quarter awaits the Crusaders…
@pastorshark (Comment 172) : 19-13 Saders not looking sharp seems as if the Force can win this game!
@nortie (Comment 173) : Especially since their problem right now is that they are just too lose!
@JD (Comment 176) : Definitely…if the Saders don’t win, this will be the first surprise of the weekend…after we almost had one in the first game…
Free kick to the Saders in the Force 22…and now instead of tapping it they take the scrum…
The Saders stuff up the set move, but still have the ball…
@pastorshark (Comment 177) :
Yep. It’s one of my many pet hates, the quick tap.
5m from the try line, by all means, have a go.
But from far out, I don’t see the point.
The Saders are a couple of meters short…and get a penalty…
The Saders kick it out to the corner…
Interesting set move by the Saders but the hooker is bundled out in the corner…
This time the Force win the lineout but concede a penalty…
Ellis taps and goes quickly…from 5 meters out…but it comes to nothing and the Force win a penalty at the breakdown…
Should have gone for the scrum option…
The crowd gives an ironic cheer as the Force win their own lineout…
A poor kick gives the Saders a huge chance…ohhhhh…and McNicoll can’t gather with an open line at his mercy…
Wow tonight is just not the Saders night!
19-13 after 69 minutes…
@JD (Comment 190) :
Crazy!
The Force have a defensive scrum 5m from their own line…
The Saders absolutely crunch the Force scrum but somehow they retain position and scramble away…
Saders attack again but knock it on at the breakdown…
The Force have been under pressure but a combination of good defence by the Force and poor execution by the Crusaders keep the score at 19-13…
Just over 8 minutes remaining…
That is the third Force player off with a serious looking injury…Nathan Charles the replacement hooker…
Look at the Force go…must be that John Mitchell influence
Crusaders in trouble here
Defensive scrum for the Force…
Cleared quickly because the Saders scrum is dominant…
Poor kick gives Crusaders a chance to counter…and they knock it on…
Another dominant scrum by the Saders and they now have the scrum feed…
This Saders performance is not nearly as good as they performed against the Sharks!
And another knock on attack stymies the Saders…
@JD (Comment 204) : Nowhere NEAR!
@JD (Comment 204) : Really poor…
5 minutes to go…
19-13 after 76 minutes…
O my, this is just sad. I guess housing will be a problem in NZ after this weekend because many Kiwis will have to come back down to earth.
After 3 weeks of bragging how they have not lost a game, it’s time to catch a reality check, their players don’t walk on water
@pastorshark (Comment 206) : well I’m not going to get a margin point in this game now just hoping for the Saders to score and win to get the result!
A scrum penalty to the Crusaders…
They kick to the corner…
And the Saders eventually score the try!!!
The Saders score!!!
They had to score at the posts, they need the conversion
Taufua in…
The conversion is good and the Saders are back in the lead…
20-19 Saders lead. Now just one more for my margin point! Go Saders!
19-20 with a minute to go…
The Crusaders get a penalty from the kick off…
And that is it…
19-20 at full time…
Saders very lucky to beat the Force!
No margin point for me…
@JD (Comment 224) : Very, very lucky! They were poor tonight!
It wasn’t a great game to watch…scrappy, poor execution…
@pastorshark (Comment 225) :
Nope, same here, 2/2 but losing ground.
They might has well have lost, would have made less damage to my SuperBru
@nortie (Comment 228) : Exactly!
@pastorshark (Comment 226) : geez had the Saders by 8 points and just before the game I changed it to 12! Costly change!
Kieran Read just said “character”…
@JD (Comment 230) : Makes no difference…for both you wouldn’t have got a margin point…
@JD (Comment 230) : I had Saders by 12…
I actually wish the Force had won…
So will the Sunwolves run the Stormers close tonight as well?!
The Kiwi in the studio says the Force deserved to win…not because they were clearly better but because the Saders were so poor…about right!
@nortie (Comment 228) : @pastorshark (Comment 233) : see Superbru got the result wrong as they have the Force 19-13 victory.
Force must be kicking themselves…had a real chance to beat a poor Crusaders team
Now for Blitzbokke to beat England in 7′s!!!
Blitzbokke taking on England in Hong Kong…
@JD (Comment 239) : Not a good start though! England score first…
@pastorshark (Comment 235) : Upset maaayb….haha
Eng 7-0
@SheldonK (Comment 242) : Well, all the other games have not gone all the favourites way…
7-0 England after 3 minutes…
Really poor by the Blitzbokke…
Eng 14-0 after 5min.
14-0 after 4 minutes…
I think I should stop watching now!
@SheldonK (Comment 238) : Absolutely…and that with them not being able to by a lineout and being crunched in the scrums…right at the end they had a chance to close it out but just weren’t good enough on their own scrumball to do it…
A very poor first half by the Blitzbokke…
Dropped balls, missed tackles…
Add poor lineout to that…
Wow…the England captain has been given a yellow card…tough call…
Eng receive a yellow and SA scores!
Senatla is in…makes immediate use of the extra man…very good stuff!
That makes it 14-7 at halftime…
@pastorshark (Comment 254) : not really a tough call they’re very strict on players not releasing the ball and so slowing down play.
South Africa with more really poor play!
Penalty try to England and Senatla with a yellow card…
So silly!!
Hong Kong is just not the Blitzbokkes cup of tea…
Swak…
Afrika has been absolutely rubbish…missed tackles, dropped balls…
And SA can’t take that chance either…
I really do need to stop watching…
And another crap option…what the hell?!?!?!
Play man!!!!
@pastorshark (Comment 266) : Blitzbokke looking a lot like the Saders!
Try Blitzbokke…
21-14…seconds left…
21-14 Eng lead.
Blitzbokke have a final chance with a lineout after the hooter…
Times up but Sa have a lineout!
And they stuff it up…well, that was a surprise…
That was a royally poor performance…sigh…
England win 21-14. Hopefully will be a wake up call for them to perform better!!!
@JD (Comment 237) :
Lol, that’s what happens when the players update the scores.
I guess the guy who locked that score in picked the Force and hoped he would get away with it.
I see the Border Bulldogs are leading the Lions in CC
@nortie (Comment 278) : ja but it did not work as it was changed. Nice try though!
@JD (Comment 279) :
Yep, it never will, all those who picked the Crusaders by 1 had probably caused their server to crash with all the emails they sent moaning about the wrong result
@nortie (Comment 280) : for sure only problem I had the Saders by 12!