We are already in Round 12 of the Curry Cup of 2009. We Preview and Predict the games for this weekend.

Four games are played this weekend, one today, Friday 25 September 2009 and three games on Saturday 26 September 2009.

Games of the weekend:

1. Sharks against Platinum Leopards, Friday 25 September 2009 at 19:00 (local time)

2. Golden Lions against Boland Cavalliers, Saturday 26 September 2009 at 15:00 (local time)

3. Western Province against GWK Griquas, Saturday 26 September 2009 at 15:00 (local time)

4. Blue Bulls against Vodacom Free State Cheetahs, Saturday 26 September 2009 at 17:05 (local time)

Friday 25 September 2009:

Sharks vs Platinum Leopards

(ABSA STADIUM, Durban at 19:10 local time)

The Sharks are top of the Log and are playing the lowly Leopards, at home in Durban. The Sharks Team is laden with Springboks again after the Tri-Nations. No prizes will be awarded for guessing that the Sharks should run away with this game and bag their full 5 Log Points from the game.

In winning, the Sharks will ensure a semi-final spot in the Currie Cup, this weekend already.

I predict that the Sharks will win comfortably but that they will not play to their full potential, in order not to risk injuries for upcomming games….. Sharks by 45 PLUS.

Teams:

Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanché (captain), 14 Luzuko Vulindlu, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Juan Hernández, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Albert van den Berg, 4 Alistair Hargreaves, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Skipper Badenhorst, 1 Patric Cilliers.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Steven Sykes, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 Monty Dumond, 22 Adrian Jacobs.

Leopards: 15 Danie Dames, 14 Jovan Bowles, 13 Deon van Rensburg, 12 Berndt Theissinger, 11 Jan van Zyl, 10 Clayton Durand, 9 Jean Tiedt, 8 RW Kember, 7 Thabo Mamojele, 6 André Swanepoel (captain), 5 Draad Linde, 4 Ligtoring Landman, 3 Os van der Walt, 2 Gavin Williamson, 1 Divan Kotzé.
Replacements: 16 Pellow van der Westhuizen, 17 Nardus Lombard, 18 Bennie Adams, 19 Riaan Swanepoel, 20 Chris Erasmus, 21 Neil Jacobs, 22 Bom Samaai

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant referees: Luke Burger, Reuben Rossouw
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

Saturday 26 September 2009:

Golden Lions vs Boland Cavalliers

(Coke a Cola Park, Johannesburg at 15:00 local time – it appears as if this game might not be Televised)

After a disasterous season, the Lions will still have too much ammunition for an even more disasterous Boland Team.

Pride is really all that is at stake in this game, none of these two Teams will make the semi’s.

I predict that the Lions will romp home, wanting to prove a point and after Boland’s drubbing last week at the hands of the Bulls it will be a  big score…. Lions to win by 40 PLUS.

Teams

Golden Lions: 15 Alwyn Hollenbach, 14 Dusty Noble, 13 Jannie Boshoff, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Johan Jackson, 10 Herkie Kruger, 9 Chris Jonck, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Derrick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Willem Stoltz, 3 Gert Muller, 2 Hans Van Dyk, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Derek Harwood, 17 Kevin Buys, 18 Nico Luus, 19 Todd Clever, 20 Earl Rose, 21 Walter Venter, 22 Jaco Taute.

Boland Cavaliers: 15 Hayden Groepes, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 PJ Vermeulen, 12 Dandré Gerber, 11 Wendal Wehr, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Junior Bester, 7 Hilton Lobberts, 6 David Hendricks, 5 Rito Hlungwane (captain), 4 George Earl, 3 Janro van Niekerk, 2 Schalk Ferreira, 1 Michael De Neuilly-Rice.
Replacements: 16 Harry Vermaas, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Nico Esterhuyse, 19 Angelo Brinkhuys, 20 Charlie King, 21 Dewey Swartbooi, 22 Justin Peach.

Referee: Mark Lawrence
Assistant referees: Matt Kemp, Peet Badenhorst

Western Province vs GWK Griquas

(Newlands, Cape Town at 15:00 local time)

This will indeed be an interesting match, the No 2 and No 3 Teams on the Currie Cup Log, battling it out for the race towards home semi-finals.

From a WP perspective this game is vital to keep 2nd place and WP has been a performing Team in the Currie Cup of 2009. WP and their supporters pride themselves on not having a “light five” anymore and the WP supporters have been very vocal in their predictions of the Currie Cup coming home in 2009.

Confidence levels are high…

From a Griquas perspective, this will be the test to see if they can indeed bark with the big dogs. They are determined and have stated publicly that their aim is to win their next 3 matches, before the semi’s kick in. They have a well balanced squad but seem to be playing on pure adrenalin and a bit above their means but they are confident… and the mind is a powerful weapon.

Should Griquas win, they will ensure a semi-final position, so they will be motivated and ready for the match.

I predict a WP win however, it is a home game and the Griquas run of form should start coming to an end against the big dogs (although I’ve predicted their demise for a couple of weeks now and they’ve showed me a carrot each time)… WP by 7 PLUS.

Teams

Western Province: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Frikkie Welsh, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Luke Watson (captain), 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 François Louw, 5 Anton van Zyl, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Brock Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 Pieter Louw, 19 Martin Muller, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Matt Toomua, 22 Sireli Naqelevuki

Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Trompie Nontshinga, 13 Jaco Bekker, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Dewald Pretorius, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Sean Plaatjies, 5 Jacques Lombard, 4 Brendon Snyman, 3 Ruaan du Preez, 2 Rayno Barnes, 1 Albertus Buckle.
Replacements: 16 Andries Kruger, 17 Simon Westraadt, 18 Heinrich Stride, 19 Rohan Kitshoff, 20 Donald Stevens, 21 Wilmaure Louw, 22 Bjorn Basson.

Referee: Paul Marks
Assistant referees: Mlungiseli Mdashe, Marco van Zyl
TMO: JC Fortuin

Blue Bulls vs Free State Cheetahs

(Loftus Versveld, Pretoria at 17:05 local time)

A game between these two sides is always a humdinger and Saturday will be no different !

A strong-scrumming Cheetahs Team, with good locks and excellent loose forwards will provide excellent ball for their backs.

The Cheetahs have plenty to play for, they have to shape this Saturday to keep hopes alive for a semi-final spot and accordingly they will be well motivated and desperate. In addition, they have proved to be somewhat of a bogey Team for the Bulls.

Their weakness probably lies at scrumhalf and on the centres.

On the other hand we have the Bulls, with a plethera of Springboks back, but excluding Fourie du Preez, Bryan Habana and Bakkies Botha. Victor Matfield returns as player and captain, Pierre Spies is back as ell as Morne Steyn, the points machine.

The Bulls will struggle in the front row but have a superior lock combination and awesome loosies. In the backline there is plenty of fire power and strong defenders.

I have difficulty in predicting a winner here, to be honest and will rely on my prediction of a home Team win… Bulls by 6.

Teams

Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 François Hougaard, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Heini Adams, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Gürthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Ross Geldenhuys, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Pedrie Wannenburg, 20 Dean Greyling, 21 François Brummer, 22 John Mametsa.

Free State: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Fabian Juries, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Frans Viljoen, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Nico Breedt, 3 W P Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Louis Strydom, 22 JW Jonker.

Referee: Ian Smith (Australia)
Assistant referees: Dilbert November, Cobus Wessels
TMO: Johann Meuwesen

Game Threads:

Gentlemen & Ladies & Moepels… I have sheduled Game Threads for today and tomorrow’s games.

The game Thread for the Sharks / Leopards game will automatically be on from 16:30 today.
The game Thread for the WP / Griquas game will automatically be on from 13:30 on Saturday.
The game Thread for the Lions / Boland game will automatically be on from 13:30 on Saturday.
The game Thread for the Bulls / Cheetahs game will automatically be on from 15:30 on Saturday.