We have 6 games to look forward to this weekend, namely:

Blues vs Brumbies:

The Blues host the Brumbies in Auckland on Friday morning, 08:35 SA Time.

The Blues are in the No 10 spot on the Log, having played 4 and won 2 and having conceded 14 points more than they have scored, also having scored 10 tries as opposed to conceding 8 tries.

This star-studded team is one of the disapointments of the season so far, they have the personnel and will field a plethera of All Blacks again…

Toeava, Rokocoko, Ranger, Stanley, Wulf, Brett and Matheson makes up their backline…  these are all big names in their own right, but it goes further than that, they are assisted by players like Kaino, Afoa, Mealamu and Woodcock in the forwards. Clearly with a team like this you have to do better than the results have indicated!

Against them are the Brumbies, which I have touted all season as possible semi-finalists.

This balanced team is without Mortlock this week but they still have awesome depth and game breakers who will run you silly… Giteau, Christian Lealiifano, Valentine, Hoiles, George Smith, Elsom… to name a few.

Apart from losing to the Bulls, they are on a roll in 5th place on the Log, with 4 wins from 5 games, having scored 12 tries and conceding 8.

This is a difficult call to make, but having touted the Brumbies pre-season, I would have to still go with them as my pick….. Brumbies by 7.

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Bulls vs Hurricanes:

The Bulls host the Hurricanes at Loftus on Friday night at 19:10 SA Time.

This is the game where I become careful and hesitant, do I go for the high-riding Bulls with the shoddy defense or do I choose the struggling tourists?

The Bulls have won 4 from 4 and are sitting comfortably at the top of the Log, maybe too comfortably! In every game they have played they have shown what they can do on attack and have racked up an average of 50 points every game. They have an impressive 60 points, points difference, scoring 24 (yes, that is correct) tries but conceding 15 in the process.

As indicated, defense is a problem and the mindset will have to change about this crucial aspect of the game. I do not think complacency will be an issue, the Bulls have indicated that one can NEVER be complacent when facing the Canes. I believe that they have worked hard on defense this week too because one could sense that the players and coaching staff were all unhappy about their defense.

The Bulls play a very complete game of rugby and can punish you from anywhere and on top of that you just do not want to concede penalties within Morné Steyn’s range, he will punish you.

Fourie du Preez and Morné Steyn are game breakers par excellance but there are so many stars in this team, it’s frightening!

The Hurricanes started the season well but then came on tour to SA, where they have lost against both the Cheetahs and the Stormers and are lying in an uncomfortable 8th position on the Log. We all know that they are better than their 8th position indicates.

The Canes have lost Cory Jane after a bus (Naqelevuki) smacked him last Saturday at Newlands but their potency still lies in their abrasive and destructive centre-pairing of Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith. Their forwards are a powerful bunch, with the exception perhaps of loosehead John Schwalger who was shown up tremendously in the last 2 games.

Not wanting to underestimate the Canes, I still have to pick the Bulls for a win here…. Bulls by 9.

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Crusaders vs Lions:

In this 1st Saturday game of this week, the Crusaders host the happless Lions at the ungodly hour of 06:30 on Saturday, SA Time.

The Crusaders have pulled their season right after once again starting at a bit of a stutter, one feels, but for this game they are resting quite a few key players, so low do they rate the Lions. In the place of Dan Carter they have chosen Colin Slade, and in the starting lineup there are inexperienced players like Jonathan Poff.

One still senses that this is a potent combination though and some of the youngsters or second stringers will feel they have a point to prove.

On the other hand we have the struggling and bumbling Lions who only have a few players who would be able to step into any other Super 14 team… guys like Doppies Le Grange, Walter Venter, Todd Clever and Cobus Grobbelaar.

The Lions are at Log position 13 and have already conceeded 107 points more than they have scored themselves, allowing 29 tries against them in the process and only scoring 15 tries.

The heads must be hanging on the knees by now and the plane trip home must be something they are all looking forward to.

Considering that I do not think that the Crusaders 2nd stringers will be complacent I do not hesitate to call a win for the Crusaders…. Saders by 30 PLUS.

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Highlanders vs Sharks:

The Highlanders host the Sharks in Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time on Saturday.

The Highlanders have returned from SA with a mixed bag, 1 win, 1 bad loss and another loss to the Bulls but a game where they easily achieved their bonus point for tries scored.

In Israel Dagg and Michael Hobbs they have real game breakers and prolific try hunters and they have a very well-balanced troup of forwards.

They are not a team to be underestimated.

On the other hand we have the star-studded underperformers of the series so far, the embattled Sharks, who are in No 12 position on the Log and who are still winless after 5 outings.

Dicipline and a general impotency on attack are their biggest failings and this proud team is smarting big time!

In addition strange team choices might cost them this week, with John Smit on the bench, the out of form Johann Muller as captain and with the Sharks still persisting to play the wrong loossie combination in my opinion. At the back flyhalf is a problem and Stefan Terblanche has been moved to cover wing after an injury ruled Odwa Ndungane out. This means that a talented but vastly inexperienced Patrick Lambie will have to play in the last vestage.

One feels though that the Sharks could pull this one out of the fire and they will believe that they can do it after 2 narrow losses overseas… I predict the 1st Sharks win of the season…. Sharks by 8.

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Western Force vs Waratahs:

The Force host the Waratahs in Perth at 13:10 SA Time, on Saturday.

What does one say about the No 14 position Force? Were they the big losers in the off season with players joining elsewhere or are they just plain crap?

Well, with players like Scott Staniforth, Ryan Cross, James O’Connor and Nathan Sharpe they cannot possibly be all bad, but then again, like the Lions, the rest of their players are a bunch of average club players.

They sit on a round ZERO on the Log after 4 matches and must be gunning for the wooden spoon with all their worth!

The Waratahs have just come off a brilliant demolision performance over the Lions, which in itself does not say much….. but they scored 11 tries in the process, some of those tries beautifully crafted.

The Waratahs are in the No 7 Log position, having scored 20 tries and conceding 16. As said, 11 of the tries came in the last match though.

Defense does not seem to be their strongest attribute but players of class they definately have.

I’m going to confidently predict a very good win for the Waratahs….. Tahs by 25 PLUS.

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Stormers vs Cheetahs:

The Stormers host the Cheetahs at Newlands, Cape Town, in the last Super 14 match of the weekend, at 17:05 SA Time on Saturday.

The Stormers are probably the most improved team in this year’s Super 14 and have clearly shown that they are the best defensive unit out there at present.

They are 4 wins from 5 starts and sit in the No 2 position on the Log, having scored 15 tries and only conceding 4 tries. That is very impressive, but for one thing, they might have limited themselves somewhat on attack, preferring to play conservative yet constructive rugby.

There has been faultless consistency in selection and apart from 1 newcomer, Tim Whitehead at inside centre (forced due to the injury of Juan de Jongh), this team bubbles with experience, poise and potency.

Stand-out players for the Stormers have been Joe Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Dewaldt Duvenage, Schalk Burger, Andries Bekker and Tiaan Liebenberg. Singling out players however does injustice to the rest of the hard-working players, who have all contributed well in all the games they have played.

Against the Stormers are the Cheetahs, who have shown so far that they might just take the step up to the big time and we all know that when the Cheetahs get going, they are like a steam engine going down hill…. very damn difficult to stop or to counter.

Their wings are exciting speed merchants, their scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, is nippy and makes good decisions, their forwards are a hard-working bunch of mielievreters!

One player who will sorely be missed though is Heinrich Brussow, who incurred a season-ending injury in their last game before the rest week. He is ably replaced by Hendro Scholtz though, a mean and hard as nails loosie in the true mould of loosies.

OK, let me place my proverbial chop on the block here… who will win and by how far? I predict a Stormers win, there is just too much class in their outfit…. Stormers by 12.