It is Round 17 of Super Rugby 2015 this weekend.
There are 2 games on Friday 5 June and 5 games on Saturday 6 June.
The Cell C Sharks have a BYE weekend.
The action is kicked off by the Hurricanes and Highlanders who do battle in Napier at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT)
Thereafter and after a couple of hours break, also on Friday – the Western Force play the Brumbies in Perth at 13:00 SA Time ((19:00 AWST, 21:00 AEST, 23:00 NZ Time, 11:00 GMT)
Early on Saturday the Melbourne Rebels host the Vodacom Bulls in Melbourne at 07:30 SA Time (15:30 AEST, 17:30 NZ Time, 05:30 GMT). It is the Vodacom Bulls’ last game on tour.
Thereafter the Blues host the Crusaders in Auckland at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 17:35 AEST, 07:35 GMT), whereafter the Reds host the Chiefs in Brisbane at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 21:40 NZ Time, 09:40 GMT).
In South Africa, the Toyota Cheetahs host the Waratahs in Bloemfontein at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT, 23:00 AEST, Sunday 01:00 NZ Time). Thereafter the DHL Stormers host the Emirates Lions in Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, Sunday 01:05 AEST, Sunday 03:05 NZ Time).
The Hurricanes vs Highlanders match should be a cracker, as these are the 2 teams who have already qualified for the Top 6, it is anybody’s guess who will be victorious in this doozie!
The Brumbies should be too much for the Western Force in Perth, as the Brumbies are aiming at Top spot in the Australian Conference, whilst the Force is already out of the race for the playoffs.
The Vodacom Bulls have one final chance on tour to come good against the Melbourne Rebels, and so keep their playoff aspirations alive, but the Bulls play predictable and stale rugby and they will have to get a bonus point, if they were to have any semblance of a chance at the playoffs and still some other teams would have to do them favours in order to reach the playoffs.
The Crusaders are also close to playoff contention and will attempt to put the Blues to the sword in Auckland and they might well achieve that feat.
In Brisbane, the Chiefs will attemp to ressurrect their season, after some poor form in the last few Rounds and thus qualify for the playoffs, whereas a resurgent Reds team will try to salvage some pride after a dismal season. My guess is that the Chiefs will get their needed win.
The Waratahs should put Franco Smith’s new team to the sword and earn their bonus point in Bloemfontein. My expectation is that the Cheetahs midfield will be brittle and let through a few of the tries on the day.
The last game of the weekend is one I am particularly looking forward to, where No 1 and No 2 in the SA Conference do battle in Cape Town. The Lions chances of making the playoffs are very, very slim and only really a mathematical consideration, but the men from Joburg play passionalte and intense rugby, if not somewhat “Run-at-all-costs” and naiive rugby, but they make for a grand spectacle and the Stormers defences will be tested all afternoon in Cape Town. The Stormers on the other hand can sow up the SA Conference and will go hell-for-leather at the Lions to achieve that. I predict a relatively good win for the Stormers.
Super Rugby – Round 17
All Times are in SA Time (GMT + 2)
| 5 June at 09:35 |
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- Team: 15 James Marshall, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith (Captain), 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Blade Thomson, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Reggie Goodes
- Replacements: 16 Brayden Mitchell, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19 Mark Abbott, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Callum Gibbins / Willis Halaholo, 23 Ma’a Nonu
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- Team: 15 Marty Banks, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Jason Emery, 12 Richard Buckman, 11 Ryan Tongia, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Elliot Dixon, 7 John Hardie, 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Ash Dixon (Captain), 1 Brendon Edmonds
- Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Joe Latta, 20 Dan Pryor, 21 Scott Eade, 22 Shaun Treeby, 23 Kurt Baker
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| 5 June at 13:00 |
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- Team: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Marcel Brache, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Zack Holmes, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (Captain), 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Guy Millar, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan
- Replacements: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Tetera Faulkner, 19 Steve Mafi, 20 Kane Koteka, 21 Ryan Louwrens, 22 Luke Burton, 23 Patrick Dellit
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- Team: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Robbie Coleman, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Nic White, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Blake Enever, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (Captain), 1 Scott Sio
- Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Jordan Smiler, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Nigel Ah Wong, 23 James Dargaville
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| 6 June at 07:30 |
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- Team: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Cam Crawford, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Nick Stirzaker, 8 Scott Higginbotham (Captain), 7 Colby Fainga’a, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Lopeti Timani, 4 Luke Jones, 3 Paul Alo-Emile, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith
- Replacements: 16 Tom Sexton, 17 Cruze Ah-Nau, 18 Tim Metcher, 19 Sam Jeffries, 20 Jordy Reid, 21 Ben Meehan, 22 Bryce Hegarty, 23 Tom English
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- Team: 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Travis Ismaiel, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Pierre Spies (Captain), 7 Jacques Du Plessis, 6 Lappies Labuschagne, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling
- Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Tian Schoeman, 21 Bjorn Basson, 22 Jurgen Visser, 23 Werner Kruger
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| 6 June at 09:35 |
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- Team: 15 Matt Vaega, 14 Ben Lam, 13 Hamish Northcott, 12 George Moala, 11 Melani Nanai, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Airi Hunt, 7 Brendon O’Connor, 6 Joe Edwards, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Will Lloyd, 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 James Parsons (Captain), 1 Sam Prattley
- Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Nic Mayhew, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Hayden Triggs, 20 Christopher Vui, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Simon Hickey, 23 Matt McGahan
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- Team: 15 Tom Taylor, 14 Nafi Tuitavake, 13 Robert Fruean, 12 David Havili, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Jordan Taufua, 7 Richie McCaw (Captain), 6 Matt Todd, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett
- Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Sam Whitelock, 20 Luke Whitelock, 21 Andy Ellis, 22 Ryan Crotty, 23 Kieron Fonotia
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| 6 June at 11:40 |
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- Team: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 13 Karmichael Hunt, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Lachie Turner, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 James Horwill, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 James Hanson, 1 James Slipper (Captain)
- Replacements: 16 Andrew Ready, 17 Pettowa Paraka, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Ed O`Donoghue, 20 Beau Robinson, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Jake Mcintyre, 23 Ben Tapuai
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- Team: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Bryce Heem, 13 Charlie Ngatai, 12 Andrew Horrell, 11 Tim Nanai-Williams, 10 Marty McKenzie, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Michael Leitch, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam (Captain), 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Mike Fitzgerald, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Hika Elliott, 1 Mitchell Graham
- Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Pauliasi Manu, 18 Jarrod Firth, 19 Matt Symons, 20 Maama Vaipulu, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown
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| 6 June at 15:00 |
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- Team: 15 Coenie van Wyk, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ryno Benjamin, 11 Cornal Hendricks, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Tienie Burger, 6 Johannes Prinsloo, 5 Francois Uys (Captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Nicolaas van Dyk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Burrie Uys
- Replacements: 16 Elandré Huggett, 17 Danie Mienie, 18 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 19 Steven Sykes, 20 Gerhard Olivier, 21 Henco Venter, 22 Shaun Venter, 23 Willie Le Roux
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- Team: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Teqele Naiyaravoro, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Matt Carraro, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Stephen Hoiles, 5 Dave Dennis (Captain), 4 Mitchell Chapman, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Hugh Roach, 1 Benn Robinson
- Replacements: 16 David Porecki, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Jacques Potgieter, 20 Dean Mumm, 21 Patrick McCutcheon, 22 Brendan McKibbin, 23 Peter Betham
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| 6 June at 17:05 |
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- Team: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (Captain), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff
- Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Jaco Taute
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- Team: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Harold Vorster, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (Captain), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Schalk van der Merwe
- Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Howard Mnisi
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