Alternative Title: “How to keep pissing off most of the Rugbyheads readers Mark 2”
;DChiefs V Blues: Hamilton
Chiefs: 15 Glen Jackson, 14 Roger Randle, 13 Keith Lowen, 12 Regan King, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 David Hill, 9 Rhys Duggan, 8 Steven Bates, 7 Marty Holah, 6 Jono Gibbes (captain), 5 Keith Robinson, 4 Glenn Taylor, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 2 Greg Smith, 1 Michael Collins.
Replacements: 16 David Briggs, 17 Shane Carter, 18 Chresten Davis, 19 Scott Couch, 20 Isaac Boss, 21 Mark Ranby, 22 Todd Miller.
Blues: 15 Doug Howlett, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Malili Muliaina, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Rupeni Caucaunibuca, 10 Carlos Spencer (or Orene Ai'i), 9 Steve Devine, 8 Xavier Rush, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Justin Collins, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Troy Flavell, 3 Kees Meeuws (or Deacon Manu), 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Derren Witcombe, 17 Deacon Manu (or Nick White), 18 Bradley Mika, 19 Ron Cribb, 20 David Gibson, 21 Orene Ai'i (or Lee Stensness), 22 Rico Gear.
::)Comments: The chiefs put up one hell of a fight against the Highlanders last week and at one stage I was thinking that my tipping was going to start off with a loss. I think what killed the chiefs in the end was that they couldn’t hear the calls as someone was playing with a chainsaw on top of a cherry picker! Now can someone explain what the hell that was about?
The Blues made sure that the second game I picked last week did result in a loss. The Blues won that game easily. They were simply too strong all over the park and there back three combination are going to score a hell of a lot of tries.
:oBalls to the wall time: It’s going to be the same result as in last years NPC final and the margin could even be bigger!
;DHighlanders v Stormers: Dunedin
Highlanders: Not listed
Stormers: 15 Werner Greeff, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Robbie Fleck, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Pieter Rossouw (vice-captain), 10 Chris Rossouw, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Adri Badenhorst, 7 Hendrik Gerber, 6 Corné Krige (captain), 5 Selborne Boome, 4 Quinton Davids, 3 Faan Rautenbach, 2 Tjoepie van den Heever, 1 Daan Human.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Dixon, 17 Cobus Visagie, 18 Hottie Louw, 19 Pierre Uys, 20 Johannes Conradie, 21 Gaffie du Toit, 22 Egon Seconds.
::)Comments:
Wille Walker was perfect with the boot last week and that won them the game. Can he repeat the effort? However, they do like keeping the slate as clean as possible when they are playing at the ‘House of Pain’. While the Williams kiddy was a really Mains surprise.
The Stormers were devastating against the Sharks last week and I think we have seen who will do the best out of all SA teams. The Stormers are the best travelling SA side (?) This game could really tell us if the Stormers have what it takes to make the finals. If Rossouw is in his intercepting best then it could be a close game.
:oBalls to the wall Time:
This could be a very interesting clash. But since the Highlandsers are at home they should win.
;DHurricanes v Bulls: Napier
Possible Hurricanes team: Christian Cullen, Lome Fa'atau, Tana Umaga (captain), Ma'a Nonu, Pita Alatini, Riki Flutey or David Holwell, Jason Spice, Rodney So'oialo, Chris Masoe, Luke Andrews, Kristian Ormsby, Jerry Collins, Tama Tuirirangi, Joe Ward, Tony Penn or Jason Hooper. Reserves: Brent Ward, Holwell or Bryce Robins, Brendan Haami, Brent Thompson, Paul Tito, Tim Fairbrother, Daniel Smith.
The Bulls team: 15 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 14 John Daniels, 13 Anton Pitout, 12 Dewey Swartbooi, 11 Fabian Juries, 10 Louis Koen, 9 Joost van der Westhuizen (captain), 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Wikus van Heerden, 6 Piet Krause, 5 Victor Matfield (vice-captain), 4 Geo Cronjé, 3 Richard Bands, 2 Danie Coetzee, 1 Wessel Roux.
Replacements: 16 Dale Santon, 17 Christo Bezuidenhout, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Jacques Cronjé, 20 Coenraad Groenewald, 21 Frikkie Welsh, 22 Riaan van den Berg.
::)Comments:
Who would have thought that the bulls would have actually won their first game. If the Hurricanes suffer from ill discipline (highly likely) then Louis Koen could have another field day and easily retain his spot as the leading point scorer in this year’s super 12.
It sounds as though Lomu is still out of commission for the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes were in the hunt for a good proportion of the match and their backs are beautiful to watch (especially Umaga and Cullen) in full flight
:oBalls to the wall Time:
The angles and positional paly by the Hurricane’s back line will be too good for the Bulls.
;DCrusaders v Reds: Christchurch
Crusaders: Don’t like releasing their team line up at all.
Reds: Nick Stiles, Sean Hardman, Fletcher Dyson, Nathan Sharpe, Matt Cockbain, John Roe, David Croft, Toutai Kefu (c), Josh Valentine, Julian Huxley, Ben Tune, Elton Flatley, Wendell Sailor, Chris Latham. Reserves: Tai McIsaac, Glenn Panoho, Rudi Vedelago, Luke Doherty, Ben Wakely, Tim Atkinson, Michael Tabrett, Chris Lyons.
::)Comments:
Well for the Reds the good news is that Flatley is back the bad news is he is playing IC and Huxley still gets the pivot role. The other bad news is that both Roe and Croft have a question mark over their participation especially Crofty after spending a night in hospital with a leg infection. The good news is they could really turn on the attack especially on a dry track.
The Crusaders ran away with the game in the latter stages but it’s the team that if you let them get a sniff they don’t let go. The Qld scrum looked suspect on a few occasions last week and this could be exploited by an AB front row.
:oBalls to the wall Time: Crusaders have the advantage in the scrums, I see the loosies on par and the backs are about even too, except for tactical kicking were Mehrts has the advantage. I know Qld won the pre-season match but a pre-season match is just simply that.
It should be a close match and hopefully like last year the winner is decided in the final minutes. My heart says the Reds but my brain thinks the Crusaders. So this week I will wear my heat on my sleave again.
;DSharks v Brumbies: Durbin
Sharks: 15 Brent Russell, 14 Stefan Terblanché, 13 Deon Kayser, 12 Trevor Halstead, 11 Ricardo Loubscher, 10 Butch James, 9 Craig Davidson, 8 Brad MacLeod-Henderson, 7 Shaun Sowerby (captain), 6 Luke Watson, 5 Albert van den Berg, 4 Philip Smit, 3 Deon Carstens, 2 Lukas van Biljon, 1 Ollie le Roux.
Replacements: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Eduard Coetzee, 18 Charl van Rensburg, 19 Wayne van Heerden, 20 Ryan Walker, 21 Rudi Keil, 22 André Snyman.
Brumbies: Joe Roff, Andrew Walker, Stirling Mortlock, Pat Howard, Mark Gerrard, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan (captain), Scott Fava, George Smith, Tamaiti Horua, Daniel Vickerman, Justin Harrison, Ben Darwin, Jeremy Paul, Bill Young. Reserves: Digby Beaumont, David Fitter, David Giffin, Radike Samo, Travis Hall, Matt Giteau, Joel Wilson.
::)Comments:
Surprise, surprise, Butch James still likes tacking his opponent’s head and keeps forgetting that two arms are required when tackling. While AJ Venter is having a rest after displaying his “How to join a rolling maul technique”. The sharks were totally outplayed.
Brumbies handling suffered in the wet but the surprise of the round was that Mortlock actually could kick.
:oBalls to the wall Time:
It won’t get any easier for the Sharks. They will loose for a second week in a row. The Brumbies will just have too much experience and should get away with it.
;DCats v Flower Power: Bloemfontein
Cats: No idea
The Waratahs team: 15 Mat Rogers, 14 Scott Staniforth, 13 Matthew Burke (captain), 12 Nathan Grey, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Duncan McRae, 9 Chris Whitaker, 8 David Lyons, 7 Phil Waugh, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Jono West, 4 Tom Bowman, 3 Alistair Baxter, 2 Brendan Cannon, 1 Matt Dunning.
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Rod Moore, 18 Van Humphries, 19 Jone Tawake, 20 Paul Sheedy, 21 Morgan Turinui, 22 Milton Thaiday.
::)Comments:
I was surprised that Lane wasn’t strung up and dragged through the streets after last week’s loss.
What can you say about NSW. Dwyer picked too many leagues who didn’t run the correct angles in defence or had shockers in their debut match. While there lineouts suffered again and there forwards were out-muscled. However, praise must go to Tommy Bowman who was everywhere in the first half especially in the last line of defence.
It was nice to see NSW crash and burn so badly at the start of the Super 12 for a change. I mean now they have the monkey off their back (and the NSW media on it) they might do alright this year. Until they play QLD that is and they of course roll over and capitulate.
:oBalls to the wall Time:
NSW should win this game but I still can’t understand what Burke is doing in the centres though.
