Currie Cup, Round Three - teams and predictions
NEXT LEVEL CONTEST: The Currie Cup may have had to settle for midweek airtime thus far, but there is a heightened excitement and interest in a competition that was looking like being reduced to a 'development show'.
Despite the two-week break since the last round, the Round Three fixtures on Wednesday have a collection of really impressive team line-ups.
It all starts when Griquas host the Pumas in Kimberley, before the Cheetahs travel north to face the Bulls in Pretoria.
The last match of the round is between the Sharks and Western Province in Durban.
The Lions have a bye.
The Bulls, chasing a third successive title, top the standings with a full-house 10 points.
The Pumas (five points), Western Province (five), Cheetahs (four) and Sharks (four) all have one win.
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie said it is "very exciting" for the competition to see all the teams selecting a number of 'big name' players - keeping up the tradition of making it a treasured and big-ticket event.
"It will contribute to a really interesting competition," he told @rugby365com.
"The Sharks and Bulls have depth and quality in their squads.
"They are not just fielding Under-20 players and blooding youngsters. They really want to compete.
"The Pumas and Griquas have strong teams, so it makes for a very interesting competition."
Cheetahs skipper Ruan Pienaar said it is "exciting" and good for SA Rugby.
"We grew up watching Currie the Cup and that's where our heroes emerged," he said, adding: "It is great to see it is still in a good, healthy state.
"Hopefully it will remain like that for a number of years to come.
"It is great that the Bulls and Sharks still value the Currie Cup."
He said anyone can take it and teams will need to perform well every week if they have title aspirations.
Fourie spoke about the talent on display in the backline - the likes of Clayton Blommetjies, Rosko Specman, a two-times World Cup winner in Frans Steyn and fellow Springbok Ruan Pienaar (as captain).
However, he knows that the set pieces are key to providing a platform for those players to display their skills.
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Bulls coach Gert Smal also touched on the importance of the forwards and set pieces.
"We know what the Cheetahs are all about," he told a virtual media briefing, adding: "They have talented and very experienced players with Ruan [Pienaar] and Frans [Steyn].
"They also have a massive kicking game with [Clayton] Blommetjies, Frans and Ruan."
He admitted running two teams - in the URC and Currie Cup - is a bit of a challenge, especially when you need to start giving the fringe players some game time.
However, he believes they will be ready for "an important game" against the Cheetahs.
"They are a team that don't lose any players [to play in the URC] and they play good rugby," Smal said.
"We are not just going to sit and wait for them to play. We will bring our game and see if they can hold us."
* Meanwhile, the Sharks will look to stay in touch with the pace-setting Bulls, having had a bye in Round One.
They shook the rust off with a fortuitous win over Griquas two weeks ago and will now start building momentum.
Sharks coach Etienne Fynn spoke about the 'experience' in the Province team - the likes of Sergeal Petersen, Leolin Zas, Tim Swiel (as captain), Godlen Masimla, Roelof Smit and Allister Vermaak - as a real challenge.
"Those players have been around," he told @rugby365com, adding: "They are a pretty balanced and experienced side."
He said he expected the Cape Town outfit to "test" the home team.
"However, if we perform to the standards we are capable of, we should put out a really competent performance.
"It is our home ground and it goes without saying we have to produce a positive result."
He said he was expecting a "typical South African derby", where the two teams really get stuck into each other.
Western Province coach Jerome Paarwater admitted the conditions - a hot and muggy January - will dictate the team's tactics.
He said they don't expect the Sharks to change much from what they employ in the United Rugby Championship.
"There will be a lot of kicking, high balls, on our wings," the WP mentor said.
"They are good under the high ball. We are ready for those high balls."
* Griquas coach Pieter Bergh admitted they are in desperate need of a win if they are to repeat last year's feat of reaching the play-offs - having lost to two of the pre-tournament favourites in the Cheetahs (20-30) and the Sharks (23-24) in away matches.
This is their first home game of the season.
The Pumas also started with a loss, 19-33 to the Bulls, but bounced back to demolish the Lions (50-9) in Round Two.
"It was 24 August 2019 that we last played in Kimberley in front of spectators," Bergh said about the team's desire to break their duck in the W column.
"We want the supporters to return and hopefully with the way we play and the result [win] we can show the people of Kimberley it is a joy to watch us."
All the Round Three teams and predictions!
Wednesday, February 2
Griquas v Pumas
(Griqua Park, Kimberley - Kick-off: 15.30; 13.30 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Pumas by five points
Teams
Griquas: 15 Rynhardt Jonker, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 Christopher Hollis, 12 Alex-Zander du Plessis, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Theo Boshoff, 9 Raegan Oranje, 8 Ruan Steenkamp (captain), 7 Siba Qoma, 6 Niel Otto, 5 Derik Pretorius, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Alandre van Rooyen, 1 Eddie Davids.
Replacements: 16 Janco Uys, 17 Kudzwai Dube, 18 Justin Forwood, 19 Johan Retief, 20 Hanru Sirgel, 21 Michael Amiras, 22 Johan Mulder, 23 Sango Xamlashe.
Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Tapiwa Mafura, 13 Sebastian de Klerk, 12 Aliqhayiya Mgijima, 11 Jade Stighling, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Lucky Dlepu, 8 Kwanda Dimaza , 7 Phumzile Maqondwana (captain), 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Corné Fourie, 1 Ruan Kramer.
Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Simon Raw, 19 Brandon Valentyn, 20 Khwezi Mafu, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Eddie Fouche, 23 Alwayno Visagie.
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge, Local
TMO: Ben Crouse
Bulls v Cheetahs
(Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria - Kick-off: 17.45; 15.45 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Bulls by eight points
Teams
Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Sibongile Novuka, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks (captain), 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 8 Muller Uys, 7 Cameron Hanekom, 6 WJ Steenkamp, 5 Janko Swanepoel, 4 Reinhardt Ludwig, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Schalk Erasmus, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Sebastian Lombard, 19 Raynard Roets, 20 Jaco Labuschagne, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Frederik du Plessis, 23 Richard Kriel.
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rosko Specman, 13 David Brits, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Enver Brandt, 10 Siyabonga Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar (captain), 8 Mihlali Mosi, 7 Andisa Ntsila, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Aidon Davis, 3 Marné Coetzee, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Janus Venter, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Sergio Moreira, 20 Jeandré Rudolph, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 Robert Ebersohn.
Referee: Paul Mente
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs & local referee
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen.
Sharks v Western Province
(Kings Park, Durban - Kick-off: 20.00; 18.00 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Sharks by seven points
Teams
Sharks: 15 Inny-Christian Radebe, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Werner Kok, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Marnus Potgieter, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Celimpilo Gumede, 6 James Venter, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Emile van Heerden, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Hanru Jacobs, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Olajuwon Noa, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Murray Koster.
Western Province: 15 Sergeal Petersen, 14 Andre Manuel, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Tim Swiel (captain), 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Simon Miller, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Allister Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Jacques Goosen, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Hilton Lobberts, 20 Hannes Gous, 21 Thomas Bursey, 22 Kade Wolhuter, 23 Ethan James.
Referee: Griffin Colby
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Zukile Madikizela
TMO: Egon Seconds
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