Super Rugby 2014: Round 2 preview and predictions

This week we have a full set of fixtures to preview, as the Australian and New Zealand franchises join the party that South Africa started on their own last week. Some coaches have been a little slow in naming their sides, but we’ll try to keep this thread updated as those announcements come through.

Game 1: Crusaders v Chiefs (Friday 08h35 SA time)

New Zealand derbies are always pretty close affairs and with no real form to guide us, it’s not straightforward to pick a winner here. Despite being at home, the Crusaders might battle a bit here, due to the number of new faces in the backline. They’re also notoriously slow starters in this competition, which is why we’ll back the more settled Chiefs – who are current title-holders – to edge this early contest. Chiefs to win by around 5 points.

Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Reynold Lee-Lo, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Nafi Tuitavake, 10 Tyler Bleyendaal, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 George Whitelock, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Tim Perry.
Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Matt Todd, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Tom Taylor, 23 Rob Thompson.

Chiefs: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden (captain), 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Tevita Koloamatangi, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Michael Fitzgerald, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Rhys Marshall, 1 Jamie Mackintosh.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Pauliasi Manu, 18 Ben Afeaki, 19 Matt Symons/Liam Squire, 20 Nick Crosswell, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Andrew Horrell/Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 James Lowe.

Game 2: Cheetahs v Bulls (Friday 19h10 SA time)

Neither of these sides offered very much in their opening losses and the Cheetahs, having already dropped what should have been certain points at home, simply cannot afford to lose again. The Bulls looked to have plenty of fire in the pack in Durban, but simply offered nothing outside that, while the Cheetahs perhaps should have been a little more direct and pragmatic against the Lions, rather than trying to run everything. History is against the home side, who have never beaten the Bulls in Super Rugby, but I can’t really see them ending up on the losing side again. Cheetahs to win an ugly game by 3 points.

Toyota Cheetahs: 15 Willem le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Johannes Prinsloo, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Coenraad Oosthuizen, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Nicolaas van Dyk, 19 Rynhardt Landman, 20 Jean Cook, 21 Sarel Pretorius, 22 Elgar Watts, 23 Hennie Daniller.

Vodacom Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Flip van der Merwe (captain), 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Victor Matfield, 20 Wiaan Liebenberg, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Ulrich Beyers.

Game 3: Highlanders v Blues (Saturday 08h35 SA time)

Saturday starts off with another New Zealand derby and at the time of writing, we don’t have confirmed line-ups for either side. Without the benefit of much to go on, we’re going to favour the home team, who should have enough to overcome a Blues team whose high-profile league convert, Benji Marshall, seems to be battling a little to find his feet at flyhalf in the 15-man code. Highlanders to win by 4 points, but don’t go to the bookies on that one!

Highlanders: not yet announced.

Blues: Blues: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Frank Halai, 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Francis Saili, 11 George Moala, 10 Chris Noakes, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Luke Braid, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Liaki Moli, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 James Parsons, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Sam Prattley, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Brendon O’Connor, 21 Bryn Hall, 22 Benji Marshall, 23 Tevita Li

Game 4: Brumbies v Reds (Saturday 10h40 SA time)

The Brumbies have a new coach this year, but otherwise have a relatively settled side, with halfbacks Nic White and Matt Toomua key to their cause. It’s hard to see them prevailing against the Reds in this season opener, though, as the former champions just look that little bit classier overall. Reds to win by around 7 points.

Brumbies: 15. Jesse Mogg, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Andrew Smith, 12. Pat McCabe, 11. Joe Tomane, 10. Matt Toomua, 9. Nic White, 8. Jarrad Butler, 7. David Pocock, 6. Ben Mowen (Capt), 5. Sam Carter, 4. Scott Fardy, 3. Ben Alexander, 2. Stephen Moore, 1. Scott Sio
Replacements:16. Siliva Siliva, 17. Ruan Smith, 18. Ruaidhri Murphy, 19. Leon Power, 20. Lachlan McCaffrey, 21. Conrad Hoffmann, 22. Tevita Kuridrani, 23. Lionel Cronje

Reds: 15 Aidan Toua, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Mike Harris, 11 Dom Shipperley, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Eddie Quirk, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Saia Fainga’a, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 James Hanson, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Jono Owen, 19 Ed O’Donoghue, 20 Beau Robinson, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Anthony Fainga’a, 23 Chris Feauai-Sautia.

Game 5: Sharks v Hurricanes (Saturday 17h05 SA time)

The Sharks have named a team that doesn’t differ at all from last week’s line-up and on the basis of that showing, we expect Jake White’s men to have simply too much for the somewhat under-strength Hurricanes to handle. The Sharks’ defence will be tested by the ‘Canes danger men out wide, but there should only be one winner in the forward contest, which should be enough to seal the result for the home side. Sharks to win by around 9 points.

Cell C Sharks: 15. SP Marais, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Frans Steyn, 11.Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Ryan Kankowski, 7. Willem Alberts, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4. Anton Bresler, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis (captain), 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Lourens Adriaanse, 19. Stephan Lewies, 20. Jean Deysel, 21. Charl McLeod, 22. Heimar Williams, 23. S’bura Sithole

Hurricanes: 15 Marty Banks, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Blade Thomson, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Mark Abbott, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ben Franks.
Reserves: 16 Motu Matu’u, 17 Chris Eves, 18 John Schwalger, 19 Mark Reddish, 20 Adam Hill, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Alapati Leiua, 23 James Marshall

Game 6: Lions v Stormers (Saturday 19h10 SA time)

The Lions were perhaps the surprise package in round 1, although unlike many, I wasn’t too blown away by what I saw from them, with the Cheetahs doing more to lose the game than the men from Joburg did to win it. The Stormers are blooding some new players at the back and this might be just the injection they need to awake them from their “attacking slumber” of the last few years and finally play some free-wheeling rugby. The visitors’ Bok-laden pack will, I feel, lay the platform for a reasonable win. Stormers to prevail by around 6 points.

Lions: 15. Chrysander Botha, 14. Deon van Rensburg, 13. Stefan Watermeyer , 12. Alwyn Hollenbach, 11. Ruan Combrinck, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Faf de Klerk, 8. Warren Whiteley (captain), 7. Derick Minnie, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Franco Mostert, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Schalk van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16. Willie Wepener, 17. Jacques van Rooyen, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. MB Lusaseni, 20. Warwick Tecklenburg, 21. Ross Cronjé, 22. JW Jonker, 23. Coenie van Wyk

DHL Stormers: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Michael van der Spuy, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Damian de Allende, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Rynhardt Elstadt, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Michael Rhodes, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Ryno Eksteen.

Game 7: Waratahs v Force (Sunday 07h05 SA time)

This will be one-way traffic as the early-season favourites go up against perennial strugglers in the Force. Waratahs to win by around 15 points.

Waratahs: 15. Israel Folau, 14. Alofa Alofa, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12. Kurtley Beale, 11. Peter Betham, 10. Bernard Foley, 9. Nick Phipps, 8. Wycliff Palu, 7. Michael Hooper, 6. Dave Dennis (Captain), 5. Kane Douglas, 4. Will Skelton, 3. Paddy Ryan, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson
Replacements: 16. Tola Latu, 17. Jeremy Tilse, 18. Sekope Kepu, 19. Jacques Potgieter, 20. Stephen Hoiles, 21. Brendan McKibbin, 22. Rob Horne, 23. Matt Carraro

Western Force: not yet announced.