All 5 South Africa’s Super Rugby franchises will be in action on Saturday, with the North-South derby in Pretoria the cherry on top when the Vodacom Bulls and the DHL Stormers clash at Loftus Versfeld.

The local action starts on Saturday morning at 09:35 SA Time with the Lions’ 2nd tour match in New Zealand, against the Highlanders in Dunedin. Looking back at history, the team based in Johannesburg have reason to be optimistic, but they will have to front up in the deep south of Kiwi-land.

In the 2nd match on Saturday, former Brumbies coach Jake White returns to Canberra where his Cell C Sharks take on the team from the Australian Capital Territories. These 2 sides occupy the top 2 positions on the Combined Log and it promises to be a high-intensity humdinger.

In Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon, Toyota Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské will become only the 2nd South African coach to reach 100 matches in charge at Super Rugby level when his team takes on the Force.

The Vodacom Bulls’ Frans Ludeke is the most experienced South African Super Rugby coach with 127 matches at the helm at this level (104 for the Bulls and 23 for the Cats), but current Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie tops the list with 131 matches as coach (66 at the Waratahs and 65 at the Reds).

The other coaches who have been in charge for more than 100 Super Rugby matches are Robbie Deans (120 with the Crusaders), Ian Foster (106 with the Chiefs), John Mitchell (105 with the Chiefs, Force and Lions) and Colin Cooper (104 with the Hurricanes).

Rugby-Talk also adds it’s predictions for the matches, but then again the 2014 Super Rugby season has been very difficult to predict, so follow these predictions at your peril!

Highlanders vs Lions:

The Lions return to the venue of their only Super Rugby victory in New Zealand since the split of the Cats franchise after the 2005 season.

Their victory on 28 May 2011 at the Forsyth Barr Stadium, by 26-22 thanks to a 79th minute converted try by former captain Wikus van Heerden, is the Lions’ only win in New Zealand in 18 attempts since 2006.

Elton Jantjies, who kicked that last-minute conversion three years ago, is one of 3 Lions who will play in Dunedin this weekend. Current captain and No 8 Warren Whiteley and his loose forward partner Derick Minnie will start on Saturday, with Jantjies on the bench.

Three years ago, the Lions defended very well against the Highlanders, only conceding 1 try in the process. If they want to win on Saturday, they will have to repeat that feat, but it will be tough against a team who recently scored 8 tries in their 2 tour matches in South Africa.

Whiteley, who is 1 of only 8 players to make more than 100 tackles this season, will have to lead the Lions’ defensive charge this weekend. Of the 8 with more than 100 tackles in 2014, the Lions captain has the best success rate, having missed only 2 of the 116 tackles he’s attempted (98%) thus far.

Victory in Dunedin though isn’t as difficult as it used to be. From 1996 to 2005, South African teams only won 2 and drew 1 of their 20 matches against the Highlanders in New Zealand.

But since then, the Highlanders have lost 8 out of their 19 home matches against SA teams, with all 5 SA teams tasting success in the deep south of the South Island.

Rugby-Talk prediction: The Highlanders play a very forward-oriented game, much like their SA Counterparts, probably closest of all the overseas teams to the type of game plans the South Africans seem to favour, whilst the Lions have been strong at scrumtime and set pieces and have played with ball in hand much like a lot of the New Zealand teams in 2014. The Lions season has slowly been going downhill though in recent weeks from the surprising start they made in 2014, as a result of which it is fair to assume that the Highlanders are clear favourites for this game, probably by between 8 and 18 points, in my opinion.

Teams:

Date: Saturday 10 May
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-Off: 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)
TMO: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)

Brumbies vs Cell C Sharks:

The top 2 teams on the Combine Log clash in Canberra when the Brumbies host the Cell C Sharks at GIO Stadium on Saturday morning.

It’s probably the most challenging assignment of the KwaZulu-Natalians’ season yet as they take on the 2013 runners-up at the toughest venue in Australia.

Historically, the Brumbies have won 86% of their home matches against teams from South Africa, with the Cell C Sharks the last team from the Republic to win in the Australian capital. That was in 2013, while the Kings managed an upset-draw in Canberra last year.

The Reds and Waratahs are both on 76.2% home success against South African teams, followed by the Force (47.4%) and Rebels (25%).

Over all the years of Super Rugby, the Brumbies have lost only 5 times at home to teams from South Africa – and the Cell C Sharks will take heart from the fact that they’ve done it twice.

For Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby, Jake White, this week has been somewhat of a homecoming – he was in charge of the Brumbies in the last 2 seasons.

“This match is about first playing 2nd on the log and it is obviously a massive game,” said White, who realises that it’s always difficult for visiting sides in Canberra.

“The nice thing is that a lot of our players were here 2 years ago when they came to Canberra, so they’ve experienced the feeling of winning there already. We’re looking forward to seeing whether or not we can replicate what happened 2 years ago.”

“We just have to keep playing well and keep winning. We control our own destiny which is the great thing when you’re in a sporting arena. You never want to have to rely on other results to determine your fortunes. If we keep winning, we can control the way the tournament will end up.”

Former Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers scrumhalf Conrad Hoffman has been named on the Brumbies’ bench.

Rugby-Talk Prediction: This is indeed a difficult game to call and prior to the Cell C Sharks tour it was my belief that the Sharks would struggle in at least 2 of the 4 games on tour, this one against the Brumbies and the next one against the Crusaders. However, the Sharks won last weekend, the 1st SA side to win overseas in 2014 and their confidence (bordering on arrogance like that of their coach) will make them more dangerous. Jake White also knows the Brumbies patterns and methods intimately, of course, which gives him an added advantage which other sides do not have over the Brumbies. The Brumbies however are 2nd on the Combined Log, following their 2013 season where they played and lost in the final. My guess and approach is to favour the home side for this one, as things have gone heavily in favour of the home sides in 2014, by a very small margin of say 2 to 5 points.

Teams:

Date: Saturday 10 May
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Kick-Off: 11:40 SA Time (19:40 AEST, 09:40 GMT)
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Lees, James Leckie (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)

Toyota Cheetahs vs Western Force:

The Toyota Cheetahs will be looking to build on their longest Super Rugby winning streak, which stretches back to 2009, when they host the Force in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon.

The last time the Western Australians have beaten the Toyota Cheetahs, was on 20 February 2009. Since then, the team from Central South Africa have won 3 on the trot – 2 of them in Bloemfontein and 1 in Perth.

Their next best winning streak is against the Waratahs, whom they last lost to in 2010.

But the Force team of 2014 is a different proposition, as they are having one of their best-ever seasons.

The history between the Toyota Cheetahs and the Western Force is very even over the years. After winning the first 4 matches between these teams, the Force lost the next 3 and the points’ difference since 2006 is a mere 9 points, for an average score of 19-17 to the visitors from Perth.

The Force will also be looking for their 1st win on South African soil since March 2011, when they beat the Lions at Ellis Park.

“We will be looking to get that win, but we realise we have a lot to work and improve on,” said Toyota Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss this week.

“We need to see an improvement in our play this weekend. Our focus will be on our own game and hopefully the result will come because of that.”

“But we know we have to play very well tactically against the Force. They have a good kicking game and we need to be right up there on defence and work very hard.”

2 Former Toyota Cheetahs players, flyhalf Sias Ebersohn and replacement lock Wilhelm Steenkamp, have been named in the Force’s match-23 for Saturday, where they will be joined by 2 other South Africans in Marcel Brache and Brynard Stander, while Dane Haylett-Petty was born in Durban.

Furthermore, the Force’s assistant coach David Wessels and their backline coach Kevin Foote are both South African.

Rugby-Talk Prediction: The Force have their tails up in 2014, but one cannot help but feel that the fairy tale is bound to grind to a sudden halt sometime this season. Coupled to that the impressive Cheetahs win a fortnight ago against the Stormers and the close-fought loss against the Bulls last weekend and one cannot help but feel that the Cheetahs fortunes have changed for the better in recent weeks. Home Town advantage is another factor to consider and the Force have not toured very well in the Republic in recent years, so I am going to be bold and predict a Cheetahs win against a game Force side, starting the Force’s slide in 2014. Cheetahs by 4 to 10.

Teams:

Date: Saturday 10 May
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-Off: 17:05 SA Time (23:05 AWST, 15:05 GMT, 01:05 Sunday AEST)
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Francois de Bruin (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Vodacom Bulls vs DHL Stormers:

It’s North v South at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening when the Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers clash for the 1st time this season.

The team from the Cape hold the historical advantage over their counterparts from Pretoria, mainly thanks to a couple of very good seasons for the DHL Stormers in recent years, but they have not been at their best this year and the Vodacom Bulls will be looking to keep winning as they still have their eye on a place in the play-offs.

This is a replay of the 2010 final, which took place at Orlando Stadium in Soweto because of Soccer World Cup preparations at Loftus Versfeld.

The 2 captains on that day almost 4 years ago, Victor Matfield and Schalk Burger, will run in front again on Saturday. Because of retirement, injury and illness, both these Springbok stalwarts missed most of the 2012 and 2013 seasons, but they have been very good lately.

Matfield said his team will have to remain composed and stick to their structures on Saturday evening.

“The Stormers have shown some decent form in the last couple of weeks and are playing without fear, which makes them dangerous opponents,” said Matfield.

“As is the norm with local derbies, it will be a physical affair and the challenge for us will be to remain calm and not get sucked into the match they want us to play.”

The DHL Stormers will rock up to Pretoria with a very young team after being decimated by injuries to numerous key players, including regular captain Jean de Villiers, which is why Burger has taken over the captaincy.

“Yes, this is a young team,” agreed DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee, “but we have faith in the squad selected and every player has a chance to make an impact at one of the toughest venues in world rugby, Loftus Versfeld.”

“We’ve been unlucky with injuries this week – you can’t prevent concussion or broken noses and the like, but, at the same time it’s an exciting moment for the likes of Jean Kleyn, Alistair Vermaak and Dylon Frylinck – all of whom will be on debut.”

Rugby-Talk Prediction: The Bulls will be motivated to keep momentum up in order to reach the play-off’s, whereas the Stormers will have a ‘Nothing to lose” attitude, as shown last weekend aganst the Highlanders, where they basically threw caution to the wind and attacked from all over the park… and finally managing a bonus point win (a rarety indeed for the Stormers). One feels that th latest spate of Stormers injuries will hamper the Cape side and that the Bulls should be too strong for the Stormers in the set pieces, specially in the lineouts and mauls. One feels that the balance in the loose forwards on both sides are wrong, with no starting fetcher employed in either side, but the Stormers backline is still full of attacking potential and the Bulls backline is still a bit suspect on defence. The Bulls should be too strong for the Stormers and in addition are the home side, so I make a prediction of a Bulls win by 7 to 12 points, no bonus points either way.

Teams:

Date: Saturday 10 May
Venue: Loftus Versfeld
Kick-Off: 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant Referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco van Heerden
TMO: Johan Greeff

Other fixtures (South African kick-off times):

Friday 9 May:

09:35 SA Time: Chiefs vs Blues – New Plymouth:

Rugby-Talk Prediction: Last year’s champions at home against a resurgent Blues side who really played well last weekend against the Reds (and hammered them in the process), that is the billing of this game. One feels that the Chiefs, despite a dip in form, will be better than the Blues and I predict a win for the home team, the Chiefs, by 5 to 15 points.

11:40 SA Time: Melbourne Rebels vs Hurricanes – Melbourne:

Rugby-Talk Prediction: Although the Rebels have been good at times this season, the Hurricanes have been spectacular at times and this is a game where I break away from predicting a home win for the weekend, I say Hurricanes by 5 to 12 points, simply because the Hurricanes have just too many game breakers in their backline, from scrumhalf right through to fullback. If the Hurricanes click, then beware, they might put up a big score.

Sunday 11 May:

08:05 SA Time: Reds vs Crusaders – Brisbane:

Rugby-Talk Prediction: A Crusaders team hittling their straps against a Reds team who have no straps at all, this is the tale of these 2 sides playing on Sunday. The Crusaders are playing away from home, in Brisbane and the Reds still have mercurial stars line Quade Cooper and Will Genia in their midst, but it will not be enough to stave off the Crusaders. I predict a comfortable away from home win for the Crusaders, by 8 to 18 points.

The Waratahs are the only side enjoying a BYE weekend this weekend