Preview: Currie Cup, Round Eight
The Sharks face a huge battle on Friday against a young Blue Bulls team.
Last week they lost 18-26 against the Lions, while Western Province defeated the Blue Bulls 29-14 in Cape Town, to hand the Bulls their second successive loss of the competition.
The Golden Lions, the current unbeaten log leaders, travel to Bloemfontein where they will be in action in the early Saturday fixture against the Free State Cheetahs.
The defending champions, Western Province, are at home against the Pumas.
In the final match of the weekend Griquas travel to Port Elizabeth to take on the Eastern Province Kings.
With just two more rounds to come before the semifinals, none of the frontrunners can afford any setbacks.
Currently, the unbeaten Golden Lions are leading the standings on 33 points, eight more than the Blue Bulls on 25.
Province are third on 24 and they are followed by the Cheetahs on 17.
The Sharks and Pumas have 13 points each, followed by the Eastern Province Kings with seven and Griquas on six.
We look at all the Round Eight action!
Friday, September 18
Sharks v Blue Bulls
(Kings Park, Durban – Kick-off: 20.00; 18.00 GMT)
The Sharks and the Blue Bulls kick off another round of exciting Currie Cup action in Durban on Friday evening.
Both sides will be determined to return to winning ways after suffering defeats in the previous round.
Although the Bulls will be without influential flanker Roelof Smit (wrist injury), they still have plenty of firepower in their loose trio.
They should cause the Sharks plenty of problems at the breakdown area.
No.8 Philip van der Walt will lead the Sharks as regular skipper Marco Wentzel drops to the bench.
Recent results:
2014: Blue Bulls won 26-15, Pretoria
2013: Blue Bulls won 18-16, Pretoria
2013: Sharks won 34-18,Durban
2012: Sharks won 20-3,Durban
2012: Sharks won 13-12,Durban
2012: Blue Bulls won 42-31, Pretoria
Prediction: The Sharks and Bulls both come off away defeats last week and they will be looking to get back to winning ways. However, the young Bulls team have been the most impressive of the two. Bulls will sneak an away victory.
Teams:
Sharks: 15 Odwa Ndungane, 14 Wandile Mjekevu, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Sibusiso Sithole, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Philip van der Walt (captain), 7 Christiaan de Bruin, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 David McDuling, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Gerhard Engelbrecht, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 Marco Wentzel, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Michael Claassens, 21 Heimar Williams, 22 Garth April.
Blue Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Pieter Labuschagne (captain), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Rudolph Snyman, 19 Ruan Steenkamp, 20 Ivan van Zyl, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 Dries Swanepoel.
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco Pretorius
TMO: Marius Jonker
Saturday, September 26
Free State Cheetahs v Golden Lions
(Bloemfontein Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-off: 13.15; 11.15 GMT)
Golden Lions are the current unbeaten log leaders.
They travel to Bloemfontein where they will take on a very unpredictable Cheetahs outfit.
Springbok Warren Whiteley is back at No.8 for the Lions, however Jaco Kriel is still captain.
Steph de Wit comes in at flank with Albertus Smith moving to the bench.
The third change to the starting line-up is the inclusion of Jacques van Rooyen in the front row, while the backline stays unchanged.
Cheetahs coach Franco Smith made five changes to this starting team.
Sias Ebersohn gets a first start at flyhalf and he will partner new scrumhalf Zee Mkhabela, a 2014 Junior Springbok.
Tertius Kruger gets the nod at inside centre, while Vincent Jobo and Freddie Ngoza come in at flank and lock respectively.
Recent results:
2014: Lions won 47-7, Johannesburg
2013: Cheetahs won 26-23, Bloemfontein
2013: Cheetahs won 30-29, Johannesburg
2012: Lions won 38-23, BLoemfontein
2012: Lions won 43-20, Johannesburg
Prediction: The Lions have been in scintillating form since the start of the competition. The Cheetahs have been brilliant and woeful at different times during the season. The Lions should win the game based on recent form but Cheetahs will win this one by a very close margin.
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs:15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter (captain), 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Zee Mkhabela, 8 Gerhard Olivier, 7 Neill Jordaan, 6 Vincent Jobo, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Freddy Ngoza, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Teunis Nieuwoudt.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Burrie Uys, 18 Willem Serfontein, 19 De Wet Kruger, 20 Ryno Benjamin, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Fred Zeilinga.
Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Nicolaas Hanekom, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnal Skosan, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Steph de Wit, 6 Jaco Kriel (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Lourens Erasmus, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Reserves: 16 Mark Pretorius, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Fabian Booysen, 19 Albertus Smith, 20 Jako van der Walt, 21 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 22 Anthony Volmink.
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: Sindile Ngcese, Francois Pretorius
TMO: JJ Wagner
Western Province v Pumas
(Newlands, Cape Town – Kick-off: 15.00; 13.00 GMT)
The defending champions, Western Province, are at home against the Pumas.
Western Province will be without influential fullback Cheslin Kolbe and hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni for this Saturday’s clash.
Ntubeni has a calf muscle injury and Kolbe has bone bruising on his ankle.
Both picked up injuries during WP’s win over the Bulls last weekend.
Springbok prop Vincent Koch will make his 50th appearance for the Pumas.
Recent result:
2014: Province won 37-23, Nelspruit
Prediction: Defending champions Western Province seem to have hit form at exactly the right time as the semifinals loom. They have beaten the Sharks in their own backyard a fortnight ago, then disposed of the Bulls at Newlands. Province should win quite comfortably.
Teams:
Western Province: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Huw Jones, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr (captain), 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Oli Kebble.
Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Jean Kleyn, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Demetri Catrakilis, 22 Jaco Taute.
Pumas: 15 Hoffmann Maritz, 14 Bernado Botha, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Wilmaure Louw, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Francois de Klerk (captain), 8 Jason-Colin Fraser, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Rudi Mathee, 19 Uzair Cassiem, 20 Johan Herbst, 21 Hennie Skorbinski, 22 Deon Helberg.
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Divan Uys
Eastern Province Kings v Griquas
(Nelson Mandela Stadium, Port Elizabeth – Kick-off: 15.30; 13.30 GMT)
Eastern Province lock Steven Sykes will play in his 100th Currie Cup match after playing in 90 matches for the Sharks, before making his move to Port Elizabeth.
Griquas coach Hawies Fourie shuffled his team for their away match on Saturday.
Regular fullback Riaan Viljoen is out with a hamstring and is replaced by Gouws Prinsloo.
Out wide, Danie Dames and Ntabeni Dukisa return in place of Ruhan Nel and Jacquin Jansen.
Nel and team mate Sandile Ngcobo were selected for the Springbok Sevens Academy team for a tournament in Windhoek.
Jaco Negpen is ruled out with concussion, which means Jonathan Adendorf moves from flank to lock.
Jonathan Janse van Rensburg is now part of the revamped loose trio.
A rotational switch sees Martin Bezuidenhout starting and AJ le Roux moving to the bench.
Recent result:
2014: Griquas 45-23 EP Kings
Prediction: This could be a very entertaining game, a real try-feast. The Griquas seem to have run out of steam coming closer to the end of the league section. The Kings are a very difficult team to face in Port Elizabeth and they should win this one.
Teams:
Eastern Province Kings: 15 Scott van Breda, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Phillipus du Plessis, 12 Tim Whitehead (captain), 11 Luther Obi, 10 Karlo Aspeling, 9 Dwayne Kelly, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Cornell Hess, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Martin Ferreira, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 Tim Agaba, 21 Enrico Acker, 22 Elgar Watts.
Griquas: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Danie Dames, 13 Michael Van Der Spuy, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Ntabeni Dukisa, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Tian Meyer(captain), 8 Carel Greeff, 7 Jonathan Janse Van Rensburg, 6 RJ Lebenberg, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Jonathan Adendorf, 3 Ewald Van Der Westhuizen, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 AJ Le Roux, 17 Stephan Kotze, 18 Stephan Greeff, 19 Wendal Wehr, 20 Dylon Frylink, 21 Jonathan Francke, 22 Ederies Arendse.
Referee: Quinton Immelman
Assistant referees: Renier Vermeulen, Jabian Jeftha
