Currie Cup, Round Six - teams and predictions
CRUNCH TIME: The defending-champions Bulls and Western Province - the two most successful teams in Currie Cup history - will be looking to trip up the pace-setting Sharks and Cheetahs.
The top two, Cheetahs and Sharks, are the only unbeaten teams after five rounds and will be looking to cement their places at the summit as the tournament approaches the halfway stage.
However, before we get to the main attractions, there is an equally delectable appetiser - Griquas hosting the winless Lions in Kimberley.
That is followed by the first of the two top-table outings - the high-flying Cheetahs at home to Western Province in Bloemfontein, before the Bulls host the Sharks in Pretoria.
Only three points separate the top three sides on the table at the moment – the Cheetahs and Sharks both have 18 points from their four wins, while the team from Pretoria has 15 points.
Wednesday's match at Loftus Versfeld, between the Bulls and Sharks, is a repeat of the last two finals.
Sharks coach Etienne Fynn said the Bulls, whose only loss was to the Cheetahs, are 'targeting' this game - having named a very powerful team that features a host of Springboks and United Rugby Championship stalwarts.
Morne Steyn has a starting berth at flyhalf, where he will form a halfback pairing with talented young Keagan Johannes, who will start at No.9.
Lionel Mapoe adds more Springbok experience to the backline, with BlitzBok Kurt-Lee Arendse at fullback.
On the bench, the Bulls can call on United Rugby Championship stars like Ruan Nortje, Elrigh Louw and Cornal Hendricks.
Fynn said he expects a 'typical' Bulls performance.
However, he is confident the Sharks have the firepower to counter the 'big guns' on display at Loftus.
"For a young Murray Koster, coming up against Harold Vorster, this is an opportunity for him to stand up and be counted," Fynn told @rugby365com.
"The late Dougie Heymans told me, many years ago, this past weekend I played a club game and I got taught a lesson.
"You just have to bring it - whether you have played 100 senior or you a young kippie in your second or third game.
"You bring it and get counted."
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Bulls coach Gert Smal pointed to the Sharks' unbeaten status as evidence of their qualities, showing that they are "strong contenders" for the Currie Cup title.
"There will be no room for error against a side that will punish us if we are not clinical," Smal said.
"We will therefore need to be at our best if we want to get back to winning ways at Loftus Versfeld."
He pointed to the Sharks' mauls as a threat, adding the men from Durban also back their scrums as a serious weapon.
"They kick a lot from No.9 and No.10," he told @rugby365com, adding: "The breakdown is another area we have to get on top in."
* In Bloemfontein the table-topping Cheetahs, with two experienced Springboks in Frans Steyn and Ruan Pienaar, will look to cement their ranking as favourites.
While the Free Staters have managed to win all four of their 2022 matches to date, including a hugely significant away win over the Bulls in Pretoria, the Cape Town side could only manage to beat the last-placed Lions in four starts.
"It is important for us to keep the winning momentum," coach Hawies Fourie told @rugby365com.
He said it now feels like a normal Currie Cup season - with a game against the Lions 10 days ago, facing WP on Wednesday and the Sharks next week.
"We have three games in this month and to stay on top of the log we have to beat Province and beat the Sharks next week in Durban," Fourie added.
Pienaar, still as lively as ever in the No 9 jersey for the Free State side, sits second on the top-scorers list (with 43 points) behind Griquas' kicking machine Zander du Plessis (70 points).
"I think they have a really exciting backline," Pienaar said of the visitors from Cape Town.
"I think their back three is especially dangerous with turnovers and if you give them space on the ball.
"I think it is going to be a decent challenge.
"They play a similar brand of rugby than we try to do. They keep the ball in hand. We expect them to bring an attacking game to Bloemfontein.
"It will be another tough one against Province."
Western Province coach Jerome Paarwater said the bye in Round Five came at a good time, after their loss to Griquas in Round Four.
"The time off has been valuable for us to look at our game and work on a few important things," Paarwater said.
"We are excited to have some key players back in the mix and we are looking forward to seeing how some of these new combinations go against a good Cheetahs side in Bloemfontein," he said.
He admitted that winning is at a premium, as the fifth-place Province team simply can't afford to lose any more ground on the top four.
With one win and six points, WP is four points behind the fourth-placed Griquas - but do have a game in hand.
* Griquas will again rely heavily on their points machine, inside centre Zander du Plessis.
It is never easy to get one over the men from Kimberley on their home turf and the Lions will have to raise the bar considerably if their want to get their first win of the season.
Griquas coach Pieter Bergh said they have analysed the Lions, but won't move too far away from what has been their strengths all season.
"We know they will be desperate," Bergh said of the winless Lions.
He admitted that getting a bonus-point win against the Lions could give them a significant lead over the chasing pack - if the Cheetahs manage to beat Province.
"This is a very important game for us, as we have a bye next week and to reach the play-offs we must win our home games.
"Winning at home, against the Lions and Sharks, before going on the road, is vital for us."
Below are the Round Six teams and predictions ...
Wednesday, March 16
Griquas v Lions
(Griqua Park, Kimberley - Kick-off: 15.30; 13.30 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Griquas by 14 points
Teams
Griquas: 15 Rynhardt Jonker, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Zander du Plessis, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Theo Boshoff, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Siba Qoma, 7 Janru Sirgel, 6 Niel Otto (captain), 5 Derik Pretorius, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Eddie Davids.
Replacements: 16 Janco Uys, 17 Kudzwai Dude, 18 Andries Schutte, 19 Luyolo Dapula, 20 Michael Amiras, 21 Stefan Ungerer, 22 Ashlon Davids, 23 Prince Nkabinde.
Lions: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Matt More, 11 Divan Rossouw, 10 James Tedder, 9 Ginter Smuts, 8 Emanuel Tshituka, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Simon Dionisio, 4 Lunga Ncube, 3 Jannie du Plessis (captain), 2 Morne Brandon, 1 Jean-Pierre Smith.
Replacements: 16 Jacque-Louis du Toit, 17 Okuhle Siyeni, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 MJ Pelser, 20 Mark Snyman, 21 Jurich Claasens, 22 Luke Rossouw, 23 James Mollentze.
Referee: Griffin Colby
Assistant referees: Ashleigh Murray-Pretorius, Local
TMO: Ben Crouse
Cheetahs v Western Province
(Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein - Kick-off: 17.45; 15.45 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Cheetahs by eight points
Teams
Cheetahs: 15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar (captain), 8 Mihlali Mosi, 7 Jeandré Rudolph, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Ockie Barnard, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Dandrè Delport, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Marné Coetzee, 19 Sergio Moreira, 20 Andisa Ntsila, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 Rosko Specman.
Western Province: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 Ben-Jason Dixon, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Kwenzo Blose.
Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Simon Miller, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Timothy Swiel, 23 Rikus Pretorius.
Referee: Morne Ferreira
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni and Jaco Kotze
TMO: Quinton Immelman
Bulls v Sharks
(Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria - Kick-off: 20.00; 18.00 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Bulls by seven points
Teams
Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Keagan Johannes, 8 WJ Steenkamp, 7 Arno Botha (captain), 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Janko Swanepoel, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Kowie Roos, 2 Schalk Erasmus, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Jacques van Rooyen, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
Sharks: 15 Inny-Christian Radebe, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Murray Koster, 11. Curwin Gertse, 10 Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Celimpilo Gumede, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 James Venter (captain), 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Emile van Heerden, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Dian Bleuler.
Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Braam Reyneke, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Jeandré Labuschagne, 20 Ntsika Fisanti, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Jordan Chait, 23 Ethan Fisher.
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Paul Mente, Local
TMO: Egon Seconds
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