We’ll keep this one short and sweet, for two reasons. Reason the first, the Sharks aren’t playing. Reason numero dos, there’s only one important game and the rest are gimmes.
Game 1: BOLAND CAVALIERS vs BLUE BULLS
Yawn, Bulls to win by 20. Unfortunately, but there you have it. On a side note, how old must Clemen Lewis be by now? 45?
Boland Cavaliers – 15 Adriaan Carelse, 14 Logan Basson, 13 Gerrit van Wyk, 12 Christopher Bosch, 11 Danwel Demas, 10 Theuns Kotze, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Zandré Jordaan, 7 Jacques Engelbrecht, 6 Keenan Cronje, 5 Joubert Horn, 4 Shaun McDonald, 3 Basil Short, 2 Clemen Lewis (captain), 1 SP Wessels.
Subs: 16 Francois Esterhuyzen, 17 Enoch Mnyaka, 18 Francois Hanekom, 19 Wayne Wilschut, 20 Hanno Kitshoff, 21 Gerhard Jordaan, 22 Robbie Louw.
Blue Bulls – 15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Hanro Liebenberg (captain), 7 Nic de Jager, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Subs: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Martin Dreyer, 18 Jason Jenkins, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Andre Warner, 21 Joshua Stander, 22 Divan Rossouw.
Game 2: PUMAS vs FREE STATE CHEETAHS
Another game that’s only going to have one outcome. Two things we know for sure here – Renaldo Bothma will score a try and the Cheetahs will win by 15 or more.
Pumas– 15 Heinrich Steyl, 14 Ruwellyn Isbell, 13 Hoffman Maritz, 12 Hennie Skorbinski, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Renaldo Bothma (captain), 7 Lambert Groenewald, 6 Brian Shabangu, 5 Jannie Stander, 4 Stephan Greef, 3 Louis Albertse, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Subs: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 De Jay Terblanche, 18 Jeremy Jordaan, 19 Carel Greeff, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Devon Williams, 22 Tyler Fisher
Free State Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter (captain), 12 Nico Lee, 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Justin Basson, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Charles Marais.
Subs: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Armandt Koster, 19 Tienie Burger, 20 Zee Mkhabela, 21 Fred Zeilinga, 22 William Small-Smith.
Game 3: GRIQUAS vs WESTERN PROVINCE
The big one. Griquas are celebrating an anniversary of some sort (not quite sure what it is) and have picked a hell of a pack. They’ll be looking for a big result here. John Dobson has shown his old mate Allister Coetzee the middle finger by picking a bunch of Springbok players, including Juan de Jongh, who is meant to be resting this week. For the Sharks, it would be awesome for Griquas to win and I’m going to back them to do just that, leaving Dobbo with more than a bit of egg on his face. Griquas by just 2 points, please God, please!
Griquas – 15 AJ Coertzen (captain), 14 JW Jonker, 13 Johnathan Francke, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Ederies Arendse, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Poerie van Rooyen, 8 Jono van Rensburg, 7 Sias Koen, 6 Wendal Wehr, 5 Wandile Putuma, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Vlooi Kotzé, 2 AJ le Roux, 1 Steph Roberts.
Subs: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Devon Martinus, 18 Jonathan Adendorf, 19 Jason Fraser, 20 Renier Botha, 21 André Swarts, 22 Eric Zana.
Western Province – 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Huw Jones, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Kobus van Dyk, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Chris van Zyl (captain), 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Subs: 16 Mike Willemse, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 JP Smith, 19 Dave Ribbans, 20 Jurie van Vuuren, 21 Jano Vermaak, 22 Johnny Kotze.
Game 4: EP KINGS vs GOLDEN LIONS
I don’t believe in magic or fairy tales. The Lions are going to record a 30 point victory.
EP Kings – 15 Johan Tromp, 14 Alcino Izaacs, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Waylon Murray, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Ricky Schroeder (c), 8 Christiaan de Bruin, 7 Brandon Brown, 6 Luke van der Smit, 5 Sebastian Ferreira, 4 David Antonites/Tazz Fuzani, 3 Pieter Stemmet, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Justin Forwood.
Subs: 16 Cullen Collopy, 17 Vukile Sofisa, 18 Etienne Oosthuizen, 19 Vince Jobo, 20 Vian van der Watt, 21 Lungelo Gosa, 22 Johan Greyling.
Golden Lions – 15 Sylvian Mahuza, 14 Koch Marx, 13 Jaques Nel, 12 Howard Mnisis, 11 Antony Volmink, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Kwagga Smith (captain), 5 Bobby de Wee, 4 JP du Preez, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith.
Subs: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Fabian Booysen, 19 Cyle Brink, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 22 Andries Coetzee.
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Not as if the Griquas pack is bigger than that if the WP, and they are going to be seriously outgunned, come the lineouts.
Would love to see the Griquas beat WP, and the Griquas are tough to beat in Kimberly.
That said, think WP will win.
I can see easy wins for Bulls, Cheetahs, WP and Lions this weekend…just a feeling
@SheldonK (Comment 2) : Jip, I agree. Think WP by 20, Cheetahs and Bulls by double that and….. Lions by triple 🙂
@SheldonK (Comment 2) : @KingCheetah (Comment 3) : Oh ye of little faith! 😆 😀 : I believe in miracles so with that here’s to the Pumas & Griquas to restore our faith in the CC. 😀
@markm (Comment 4) : haha thats very optimistic of you…
Hoping for a Griquas victory but don’t think so.
Bulls
Cheetahs
WP
Lions
Sorry SheldonK
There is usually always 1 draw in the CC every year…we havnt had one yet if memory is correct…
WP going to walk it home easy. GWK are done for this year
Ouch..that’s our season!
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 9) : so Sharks needs to beat Lions to reach playoffs!!!
@JD (Comment 10) : Season after season we reach the checkout counter and we have not done enough when we could have. Then we suddenly need to win 3 in a row against all odds.
@JD (Comment 10) : Jip, that is pretty much the challenge. In the unlikely event that the Lions don’t rack up over 20 points vs. Kings, then a losing BP, and a 4 try BP could see the Sharks edge the Lions on PD. Somehow I can’t see that door being left open.
@KingCheetah (Comment 12) : @KILLER SHARK (Comment 11) : OK so a bonus point victory will give Sharks a home semi final against Bulls. Only winning (or drawing) will have them play Bulls away in Pta. Losing should see them finish out of top 4 even if they score two bonus points!!!
@JD (Comment 10) : An act that has eluded us of late…….hoping for a miracle, quietly accepted the fact that next weekend is the last SHARKS game for this year.
@jdolivier (Comment 14) : never never never not until the final whistle!!!
@jdolivier (Comment 14) : @JD (Comment 15) : So Friday nite then gentlemen?
@benji (Comment 16) : Looks like it. Make or break, we should throw the kitchen sink, going to be a very tough game.
@benji (Comment 16) : Friday it is…
@benji (Comment 16) : @Quintin (Comment 17) : @jdolivier (Comment 18) : yes by 7 o’clock we will know if the Sharks or Lions will play in semis!!! Going to be a hard game!!!