Currie Cup 2009

South Africa’s premier domestic competition kicks-off this weekend as the Sharks set out to defend their Currie Cup title.

With being the longest running domestic competitions in the world, the Currie Cup makes this an interesting weekend with two local derbies in the mix.

Full Fixture list available here:

Boland Kavaliers v Leopards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The 2 smaller teams take battle with the Leopards first premier league match.

The Cavaliers  win – by 10 points or less

Free State Cheetahs v Griquas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From sharing players for Super 14, to fighting it out in Currie Cup, this will be one of the matches to watch!

The Cheetahs to win by 10

Blue Bulls v Lions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the big clashes the weekend.  With 10 players out for the Springboks for the Bulls, they are playing mostly second string players, but the Bulls have depth!
There will be emerging boks in the team so they will go out to show what they are made of. The Bulls will be in the Top 4 this year.

The Bulls by 15 points.

Western Province v Sharks

  

  

  

  

  

 

 

 

There has been huge banter between these 2 teams this week and it will be the match of the weekend. Sharks have lost more players to the SA camp than province, but with 4 players that did play one of the Test vs the B&I Lions they look like the stronger out of the 2 teams on paper.

But the ball and pitch will have the last say!

Undecided still….
Either – Sharks win – by less than 10 points.
WP win – by less than 5 points

Rugby : Weekend Preview

TriNations

Australia have not won much in South Africa of late, but South Africa have not won much in the Tri-Nations this year.

The ‘third match’ in this Tri-Nations has been a tough one. The Springboks lost their third match, All Blacks lost their third and the Wallabies lost their third. This is not a third Tri-Nations match for the Springboks but it is their third successive match starting with one against the Pumas, a costly match for the winners as it ended tough man Bakkies Botha’s Tri-Nations. Third match suggests a Springbok defeat. The Springboks have had two matches while the Wallabies had two weeks off.

Home ground? It does not work miracles. The Springboks have not been good at home this year – not against the enfeebled Welsh, not against the dogged Italians, not against the enfeebled Pumas, and not against the All Blacks when they fell over their own feet, missing out on match-winning opportunities. All of that said, there is no reason on earth why the Springboks should not win. But home ground alone will not do it.

Prediction: It’s hard. Who knows what side is going to play and how. But looking at the situation as it has been one would suggest that Australia will win by more than 10.

 
With South Africa’s local provincial tournament taking a back behind the national team’s Tri-Nations endeavors for the last time, this weekend will host the second half of the round nine encounters.

Three of the “big five” provinces will making way for another heated top table battle.

The Sharks, currently in third position on 28 points, travel to Wellington to face the Cavaliers. Friday’s second encounter between the Blue Bulls and Western Province (WP) at Fort Loftus.

Prediction: A potentially bland game considering the wet conditions, but the Sharks should walk away win it fairly comfortable, by 10 or more points.
Prediction: Province will fight, but the Bulls are bounds ahead this season and will out-muscle their Cape opponents by 8 or more points.