Firstly, allow me to apologise for the lateness of this thread – but rest assured that you still have time to get your picks in (and take advantage of my superbly accurate predictions) ahead of this round’s first match. I’m always thinking of you guys, see…
Hurricanes v Waratahs (Friday 09h35)
There’s not really much challenge in calling the result of a trans-Tasman clash this year, particularly not if it takes place in New Zealand. The Hurricanes are in great form, the Waratahs not so much so I guess this one is pretty easy. Canes by 10.
Sunwolves v Bulls (Saturday 07h15)
I’m not sure if it’s going against the grain or not here, but I genuinely feel that the Bulls are awful this season and were actually rather lucky to beat the Wolves (their only victory to date) at Loftus last month. The Bulls are at the end of a terrible tour and with rumours of strife within the squad anf injuries to some key players, I just don’t see them winning here. Amazing as it is, I’m calling the Sunwolves to win by 5 points.
Highlanders v Blues (Saturday 09h35)
Tough pick this, since these are the two weaker Kiwi teams this year. As with all derbies, it really could go either way, so let’s back home advantage and call the Highlanders to win this by 4.
Brumbies v Reds (Saturday 11h45)
I think “meh” about sums this one up. Brumbies will win by 5 points at home, but it won’t be entertaining.
Sharks v Jaguares (Saturday 15h05)
A titanic clash awaits at Kings Park and possibly one of the games of the round? The Sharks were sublime at Ellis Park and very unlucky not to come away with the points, but they’ll be up against it this week against a Jaguares team who seem to have found their mojo in this competition. Bok duty means the Sharks are short on practice time this week and may be a little underdone here, but with a win needed to send them happily into their bye week, I’m sure they’ll find a way. Sharks to win by 6 points.
Stormers v Chiefs (Saturday 17h15)
Spicy! The mighty Storm have looked unstoppable so far this year, but for once they face proper opposition here so it’s anyone’s guess how well they’ll do. I want to back the Capetonians to win here, but I just cannot quite make that call. The Chiefs have looked to good (on the whole) this season and will want to put last week’s aberration against the Bulls behind them. Chiefs by 2?
Force v Kings (Sunday 08h05)
Dare we dream here? It would be great to see the Kings pick up an unlikely tour scalp and against the Force, they’ll not stand a better chance. Still, I feel that the Kings are not quite there yet in terms of being able to pull off a result on tour, so we’ll call a Force win by around 8 points.
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Yup, I have the same calls. The Sunwolwes have been competitive at home and they might just sneak a win.
Good picks, agree on all of them. Bulls are going one step further into darkness after this game. Not a good thing for the Springboks, we need all our teams to be competitive but at least there should be enough quality to choose from between the Sharks, Stormers(we’ll see after the Chiefs game how good they really are) and the Lions.
Time to get some coffee…oh yeah, it’s Friday and there are protests everywhere, beer then
@Pokkel (Comment 1) : Agreed plus the Bulls have a lot of injuries as well.
@Quintin (Comment 3) : And they are resting some of there Boks.
@Pokkel (Comment 4) : Resting Pollard and Lood strengthens the Bulls side
@Baylion (Comment 5) : Ja well….still hope they lose.
Reckon you left off a zero on the Chiefs prediction.
Good to see the Waratahs giving the Canes a run for their money.
Bulls to surprise us all and absolutely spank the Sunwolves.
Well done on the first BP…
Good picks…i’d expect the bulls to scrape it through though & hoping we will put in another big performance and properly beat the Jaguares!
Canes by 10, did I say?
@robdylan (Comment 12) : GREAT CALL CAPTAIN!!!
There are a few games this week that can go either way.
Blitzboks beat the Frogs. Business as usual.
@robdylan (Comment 12) : I picked Canes by 12…who was the idiot that missed that one conversion?!
Same picks, by the way…bar one: I backed the Bulls…surely?
Chiefs by 2? Did you mean to say 12 or 20. I feel you are missing a digit.
@pastorshark (Comment 17) : Ja I think the bulls will either scrape this one or put on a one-time only performance and win convincingly. ..then immediate sink back into the shadows.
@coolfusion (Comment 19) : I hope so…I mean I hope so for the last bit…
@coolfusion (Comment 19) : Did actually for a little while last week, look like bulls knew how to play the game. Maybe they find some more of that this week?
@robdylan (Comment 12) : well done Rob! Maybe we should start calling you Kuga cause you’re on fire!!!
@JD (Comment 22) :
These Bulls are so super rubbish! My word…
Bulls are down 11-10 at halftime…
@pastorshark (Comment 24) : Almost time for the Bulls to go back into the lager and bring back Luddeke,this Chuck Nollis experiment has been a horrible failure
Bring back Naas.
Straus in the post match interview has exactly the same look on his face as when the Samoans grabbed his nuts,
Well, the Bulls were an absolute shambles. Sunwolves win deservedly 21-20! Well done…
Good call, Rob!
Sacre Bleu.
My goodness. …I eat my words. I know their fans are and always have been complete pricks, but even they deserve better. A lot of money going to waste right there in Pretoria. They should forget about poaching any more high value players and spend their budget on a coaching team.
Bulls are now THE laughing stock of SA sides. Even the kings managed to beat the sunwolves away.
Management must take full blame for this mess. The coaches should go back to varsity cup or coach the Leopards or Griffons, they are clearly out of their depth.
The talent and the money (for now) are there, just not the brains.
The Sharks’ play this year is amicable and will certainly displace some top teams at the top come knock out time.
@Blue Centurion (Comment 32) : Bulls really missed Pollard today
@Blue Centurion (Comment 32) : I think they should not even look at a coach with previous bulls legacy. Start fresh find a foreigner or someone entirely from another provincial background. Some stubborn ingrained habits that seems to eventually filter through to all bulls bred coaches.
Super effort from the Stormers.
Sweet, sweet victory.
@McLovin (Comment 35) : Strange how very similar to the lions sharks game, only one team got pinged for tackle above the shoulders, same ref………
As with every week, hats off to the officials. Experts in their field doing a superb job. Always fair to both teams.
@McLovin (Comment 38) : Please send me the shit you smoke for breakfast, would love to live on that trip
@jdolivier (Comment 37) : It wasn’t the same ref…Sharks Lions = van Heerden, Stormers Chiefs = Peyper…
Hats off to the supporters also for coming out in their thousands. Nice to see full stands.
@pastorshark (Comment 40) : He was the assistant referee in the lions game and had influenced a few of the decisions
@McLovin (Comment 41) : There I fully agree with you, full stadiums look great
Well done stormers. Some realy good defence there. Also great to see one SA team not kick everything they get their hands on and being rewarded for that.
Also nice of the Stormers to throw the Chiefs two tries early on. Just to make a game of it and keep it entertaining for the fans.
Well played, Stormers. That was impressive…
Kings leading the Wors by 6. But will they hang on?
Probably not.
Wors get penalty try.
Wors over for another.
46-41 to the Wors now.
@McLovin (Comment 51) : Final score that.
Over to the sevens now.
Blitzboks 19 – 7 up against USA in semi.
24 – 7 now
Good game from the Stormers there – will this be the year when they don’t throw away home ground advantage when it matters?
Miracle from USA?
24-19
40secs to go.
All square. Kick to come.
Extra time.
@Bokhoring (Comment 56) : No, don’t think it will be. They specialize in losing home semi’s.
Boks take it.
7th Final on the trot.
Cheerio. Gotta run.
@McLovin (Comment 63) : The excitement I miss when I’m at Church…
@pastorshark (Comment 64) : That’s why I don’t go.
@McLovin (Comment 35) : I watched the Sharks game after the Stormers game – big mistake that. The Stormers were great on attack and defence. One very glaring thing though is that Peyper, his AR”s and the TMO are so inconsistant from one week to the next that its not funny, tackles/contact with the neck and head areas were ignored for most part of the game. If I were the Kiwis I would seriously look at trying to get Peyper removed from blowing their test against the Lions – he just is too inconsistant.