Preview: Currie Cup, Round Seven
After suffering their first loss last week, the Lions face another difficult task when they host the Sharks in Johannesburg on Saturday.
After suffering their first loss last week, the Lions face another difficult task when they host the Sharks in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Despite their 28-26 defeat to Western Province, the Johannesburg-based team are still in pole position in the standings and they can't afford to slip up against the defending champions, who lie in second spot and trail them by a solitary point.
The Lions have won over many fans with their refreshing brand of running rugby and although they lost to WP, they deserve to be on the top of the points table.
However, the Sharks are an experienced team and although they battled in their last match against the Leopards, before registering an unconvincing 23-3 win, they will be more focused for this weekend's clash.
In recent seasons, the Sharks have held the upper hand in this fixture but in last year's corresponding match at the Coca-Cola Park it was the hosts who beat the eventual champions 22-20.
Apart from it being a top-of-the-table clash, this match will have an extra edge to it as both teams are coached by New Zealanders, John Mitchell (Lions) and John Plumtree (Sharks).
The weekend's action starts in Witbank, where the struggling Pumas host Western Province, who are on a high after their recent win over the Lions.
The other matches see a rejuvenated Blue Bulls side travelling to Rustenburg to face the Leopards on Friday and the Cheetahs make the short trip from Bloemfontein to Kimberley to play Griquas in the early game on Saturday.
Fixtures:
Friday, 26 August
Pumas v Western Province, Leopards v Blue Bulls
Saturday, 27 August
Griquas v Free State Cheetahs, Lions v Sharks
Standings:
1. Golden Lions 23
2. Sharks 22
3. Western Province 18
4. Cheetahs 17
5. Griquas 17
6. Blue Bulls 13
7. Pumas 5
8. Leopards 5
Previews:
Pumas v Western Province
Pumas Stadium, Witbank
The Pumas are the only team yet to register a win in this season's competition but despite this they have given a good acount of themselves in most of their matches this season.
However, after losing by narrow margins to the Lions, Sharks, Bulls and Griquas and surprisingly to the Leopards, their world came crashing down when they suffered a humiliating 80-16 defeat to the Cheetahs last week.
Despite that loss, WP coach Allister Coetzee expects a tough encounter against the home side.
“It will be crazy to underestimate the Pumas, even though they got some points against them last weekend,” said Coetzee.
We need to forget what happened to them against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and look at their other games. They are still a quality side and have a lot of respect for them,” said Coetzee.
It will be interesting to see what sort of performance the Pumas give after last week's heavy defeat. Losing by such a huge margin will have a phsychological effect on them.
There's two ways for the Witbank-based side to react after that loss. They can either accept their fate and expect WP to thrash them as well or they can put it behind them and give a competitive performance.
Prediction:The Pumas will defintely take the latter option but I'm afraid that won't be enough. The'll put up a fight but the visitors are a classy side, and should prove too strong.WP by 12!
The teams:
Pumas: 15 MJ Mentz, 14 Wilhelm Looch, 13 JW Jonker (c), 12 Tian Meyer, 11 Deon Scholtz, 10 Coenie van Wyk, 9 Hendrik van der Nest, 8 Christo le Roux, 7 Martin Sithole, 6 Jaco Bouwer, 5 Eduan van der Walt, 4 Marius Coetzer, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Marthinus van der Westhuizen, 1 Michael de Nieully Rice.
Replacements: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Brett Nel, 19 JP Mostert, 18 Reginald Kember, 20 Tiaan Marx, 21 Siviwe Magaba, 22 Johan Jackson.
Western Province: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Steven Hunt, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nick Koster, 7 Nizaam Carr, 6 Nick Fenton-Wells, 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg (c), 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Quinton Roux, 19 Tertius Daniller, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Marcel Brache, 22 Danie Poolman.
Kick-off:19:00 (17:00 GMT)
Referee: Stuart Berry
Leopards v Blue Bulls
Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
The Bulls are on a high after their convincing 44-20 win over Griquas last week, and will look to build on that performance by collecting maximum points against the Leopards.
The 2009 champions were in a rampant mood and their forwards and backs combined well to set up a memorable win.
The visitors' fly-half Louis Fouché, who scored 19 points in his first match in the Bulls' starting line-up, gave an assured display and seldom put a foot wrong.
The Bulls returned to their traditional strengths in that clash, and expect more of the same this weekend.
Among their forwards, keep an eye on their young number eight CJ Stander, who impressed with his ability to get over the advantage line against Griquas, while the experienced Springboks centre duo of Wynan Olivier and Zane Kirchner will be at the forefront of attacks from the Bulls' dangerous back-line.
But things will not be so easy. The Leopards showed in their recent 23-3 defeat to the Sharks that they have the ability to frustrate the more fancied sides and if anything, expect them to implement a conservative game-pan.
Prediction:Although the Leopards will once again try to prevent their opponents from beating them by a huge margin, expect the Bulls to continue where they left off against Griquas. Bulls by 18!
The teams:
Leopards: 15 George Tossel, 14 Hoffman Maritz, 13 Jovan Bowles, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Vainon Willis, 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Whestley Moolman, 8 Morné Hanekom (c), 7 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 6 Siya Mdaka, 5 Brad Mockford, 4 Brendan Snyman, 3 Stefan Bezuidenhout, 2 Jacques Moller, 1 Bennie Uys.
Replacements: 16 Marius Fourie, 17 Dewald Coetzee, 18 Roan van Heerden, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Johan Laker, 21 Hennie Skorbinski, 22 Clayton Durand.
Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Zane Kirchner, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Gerhard van den Heever, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Warwick Tecklenburg, 5 Fudge Mabeta, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha (c), 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 19 Jono Ross, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Francois Venter.
Kick-off:19:10 (17:10 GMT)
Referee: Joey Salmans
Griquas v Free State