Currie Cup, Round 11 - teams and predictions

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Seven teams are juggling to reach the final four of the Currie Cup and with four rounds left and very little that separates the three sides at top of the log, it is an open race to the end.

The Cheetahs and the Pumas – two teams that have set the pace for much of the tournament – will be desperate to bounce back after their respective losses in the tenth round. The defending champions from Mpumalanga will travel to Cape Town this Friday in search of a win that may elevate them to the top of the standings.

Western Province will be out for revenge after losing to the Pumas earlier in the season as a win for the Capetonians would consolidate their position in the top four and keep the chasing pack at arm’s length.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Godlen Masimla are back in the Western Province backline, Feinberg-Mngomezulu at inside centre in partnership with Cornel Smit, while Masimla makes his return from injury at scrumhalf.

The only other change to the backline sees wing Tom Nel come into the starting line-up.

There are two changes to the forward pack, with Connor Evans back at lock and Chad Solomon coming in to play openside flank in place of Junior Pokomela, who has been ruled out through injury.

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One of the biggest clashes of the round sees the Cheetahs travel east to tackle the Sharks. The Durbanites made a statement when they downed the defending champions last week, and could strengthen their bid for a home semifinal with a further win against the men from Bloemfontein.

Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie has made several changes to the starting line-up for this weekend of which the most significant is at flyhalf where George Lourens comes in. Reinhardt Fortuin is getting married and Siya Masuku has lost form and will warm the bench for this encounter against the team he will join at the end of the season.

Marnus van der Merwe and Louis van der Westhuizen switch places, with Marnus in the starting line-up. Rynier Bernardo and Friedle Oliver return to their regular positions.

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Looking forward to the Free State game, Sharks coach Mongalo accedes that a good team doesn’t lead the log for no reason.

“There’s a reason they lead and that’s because they’re a very good team, one of the better teams who are likely to score from their maul when they get into your 22.

“They’re a team that focuses on position-based attack, so our defence will have to stand up, but we have a proud defensive record, especially at home, so we want to ensure that we match fire with fire. That we match on defence what they bring on attack with the right resources, planning, heart, desire and character from people who really care about this brand and are passionate about it.

“This Currie Cup is unrelenting, so it’s more of the same for us, every week you have the opportunity to keep momentum, or you can lose it and we can’t afford to lose any momentum,” Mongalo concluded.

All Friday’s teams and predictions follow below …

Western Province v Pumas
(Athlone Stadium, Cape Town – Kick-off: 17:00; 15:00 GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: WP by eight

Teams

Western Province: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Luke Burger, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 11 Tom Nel, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis (captain), 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Louw Nel, 7 Jarrod Taylor, 6 Chad Solomon, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Adre Smith, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Kwenzo Blose.
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Andre Goedhals, 20 Armand Maritz, 21 Thomas Bursey, 22 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 23 Duncan Saal.

Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Lundi Msenge, 13 Diego Appollis, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Andrew Kota, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Anele Lungisa, 6 Andre Fouche, 5 Shane Kirkwood (captain), 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Njabulo Gumede, 2 Llewellyn Classen, 1 Cameron Dawson.
Replacements: 16 PJ Jacobs, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Deward Martitz, 19 Jeandre Leonard, 20 Franna Kleinhans, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Brandon Thomson, 23 Etienne Taljaard

Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: Griffin Colby

Sharks v Cheetahs
(Kings Park Stadium, Durban – Kick-off: 19:05; 17:05 GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Sharks by ten

Teams

Sharks: 15 Nevaldo Fleurs, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Murray Koster, 12 Alwayno Visagie, 11 Aphelele Fassi, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Tiaan Fourie, 8 Henco Venter, 7 James Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Reniel Hugo (captain), 4 Jeandre Labuschagne, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Dameon Venter, 17.Dian Bleuler, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Marco de Witt, 20 Sikhukbuzo Notshe, 21 Celimphilo Gumede, 22 Bradley Davids, 23 Marnus Potgieter

Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Brits, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 George Cronje, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Hencus van Wyk, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Nqobisizwe Mxoli, 18 Dolph Botha, 19 Sibabalo Qoma, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Siyabonga Masuku, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Evardi Boshoff

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: Christopher Allison