Some help from the keo scribes:
VREDE’S CALL: The Sharks don’t have hang ups about playing at Loftus and, against a team shorn of a clutch of senior players, they’ll be confident of replicating their victory there last season. The Bulls won’t veer from the kick pattern they have employed in recent years but now possess an added attacking dimension with Francois Venter and Johann Sadie in midfield and Francois Hougaard at scrumhalf. Hougaard will be asked to emulate Fourie du Preez’s tactical kicking excellence. This isn’t his strength and I suspect the Sharks will enjoy numerous broken field opportunities. Du Preez’s role in alleviating the pressure on flyhalf Morné Steyn must also not be underestimated. Hougaard promises to develop into a fine No 9, but there will be teething problems and the Sharks will benefit from this. These games are always won up front and the Sharks, with Bismarck du Plessis leading the charge, have more potent carriers in their pack. They’ll set the platform for Pat Lambie, who has shown he is adept at varying his game in a manner Steyn has not. Defensive discipline will be of utmost importance for the Sharks. If Steyn pots some early three pointers the Bulls’ belief will rise. If the Sharks limit the dangerman’s opportunities they’ll record another memorable win in Pretoria. Sharks by 7
JC’S CALL: This promises to be the clash of the round. On paper, this Bulls side doesn’t look too bad, but still there is good reason for the men from Pretoria to be nervous. Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger were selected for Springbok duty last year, but delivered underwhelming performances in the Tri-Nations. They will find life hard scrumming against the Du Plessis brothers, even if the Sharks are missing their best loosehead, Beast Mtawarira. Even without Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield and Danie Rossouw the Bulls will still have an edge in the lineout and it is from this platform where they will look to launch their attack or probe for territory. The collisions and breakdowns could be a different story. In Bismarck du Plessis, Marcell Coetzee and Keegan Daniel the Sharks have the mongrel to win an almighty ruck scrap, and the Sharks halfbacks are versatile enough and have the extra kicking option in Riaan Viljoen to ensure they win the battle for field position. There is a question mark hanging over both sets of centres, and their impact will be determined by how their forwards fare. It won’t be easy, but the Sharks should emerge with the spoils. Sharks by 5
Hard to call this one on so little evidence of current form etc.
I am going for the bulle to win.
