Double figures for the King

It was a rough weekend for some of our experts in the ‘readers versus staff’ prediction game, but like the teams it was at the bottom end of the table where the real surprises came.

Johan Greyling still looks comfortable in first place, with an 11-point lead over Phil Coetzer – with Rudolf Mehl and Steve Farrell a further point back.

But it is at the bottom of the totem pole where the ‘big’ move came – with Jan de Koning collecting the top score of the weekend, 10 points.

It is the first time since Week Three – when Greyling got 11 points and John Granger 10 – that anybody managed to get double figures.

Much like the Lions he finally produced a performance worthy of the competition – but maybe that is why he is last (like the Lions), because he has been backing them all season. (Ever heard of loyalty points?)

With just three weeks left it is difficult to see anybody catching Greyling at the top – unlikely, but not impossible.

However, the real race is for second place – with just one point separating Phil Coetzer, Rudolf Mehl and Steve Farrell.

It really mirrors the Super 14 competition – with a runaway leader (Greyling, 11 points clear = Crusaders, 12 points ahead) and a tight race for the minor places (Coetzer, Rudolf Mehl and Farrell = Hurricanes, Waratahs, Stormers and Sharks).

Standings after Week 13:
93 – Johan Greyling
82 – Phil Coetzer
81 – Rudolf Mehl, Steve Farrell
76 – John Granger
73 – Rob Peters
72 – Hennie van Staden
68 – Jan de Koning

Predictions for Week 13:

Johan Greyling:
Hurricanes v Force – Canes by 10 = 2
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls by 5 = 1
H’landers v Blues – Blues by 15 = 1
Reds v C’saders – Saders by 20 = 1
Sharks v C’tahs – Sharks by 15 = 2
Lions v Chiefs – Chiefs by 15 = 0
Stormer v W’tahs – Stormers by 10 = 0
Total for the week = 7
Total after 13 weeks = 93

Phil Coetzer (rugby365):
Hurricanes v Western Force – Canes by 15 = 2
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls by 10 = 2
Highlanders v Blues – Blues by 10 = 1
Reds v Crusaders – Saders by 22 = 1
Sharks v Cheetahs – Sharks by 20 = 2
Lions v Chiefs – Chiefs by 25 = 0
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers by 6 = 0
Total for the week = 8
Total after 13 weeks = 82

Rudolf Mehl:
Hurricanes v Western Force – Canes by 10 = 2
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls by 7 = 2
Highlanders v Blues – Blues by 12 = 1
Reds v Crusaders – Saders by 14 = 1
Sharks v Cheetahs – Sharks by 10 = 1
Lions v Chiefs – Chiefs by 12 = 0
Stormers v Waratahs – Tahs by 9 = 0
Total for the week = 7
Total after 13 weeks = 81

Steve Farrell (rugby365):
Hurricanes v Force – ‘Canes by 10 = 2
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls by 8 = 2
Highlanders v Blues – Blues by 12 = 1
Reds v Crusaders – Crusaders by 28 = 1
Sharks v Cheetahs – Sharks by 16 = 2
Lions v Chiefs – Chiefs by 26 = 0
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers by 6 = 0
Total for the week = 8
Total after 13 weeks = 81

John Granger:
Hurricanes v Force – Canes by 10 = 2
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls by 5 = 1
Highlanders v Blues – Blues by 15 = 1
Reds v Crusaders – Saders by 15 = 1
Sharks v Cheetahs – Sharks by 10 = 1
Lions v Chiefs – Chiefs by 12 = 0
Stormers v Waratahs – Tahs by 10 = 0
Total for the week = 6
Total after 13 weeks = 76

Rob Peters (iafrica):
Hurricanes v Force – Canes by 12 = 2
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls by 10 = 2
Highlanders v Blues – Blues by 7 = 1
Reds v Crusaders – Saders by 12 = 1
Sharks v Cheetahs – Sharks by 15 = 2
Lions v Chiefs – Chiefs by 8 = 0
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers by 10 = 0
Total for the week = 8
Total after 13 weeks = 73

Hennie van Staden:
Hurricanes v Force – Hurricanes by 10 = 2
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls by 10 = 2
Highlanders v Blues – Blues by 15 = 1
Reds v Crusaders – Crusaders by 20 = 1
Sharks v Cheetahs – Sharks by 10 = 1
Lions v Chiefs – Chiefs by 10 = 0
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers by 7 = 0
Total for the week = 7
Total after 13 weeks = 72

Jan de Koning (rugby365):
Hurricanes v Force – Canes by 15 = 2
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls by 15 = 2
Highlanders v Blues – Blues by 20 = 2
Reds v Crusaders – Saders by 25 = 1
Sharks v Cheetahs – Sharks by 10 = 1
Lions v Chiefs – Lions by 10 = 2
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers by 15 = 0
Total for the week = 10
Total after 13 weeks = 68