Currie Cup Preview Round 9

In Currie Cup Round 9 action, the unbeaten Cheetahs host the winless Valke in Bloemfontein, the Blue Bulls take on Griquas at Loftus, Western Province play Boland at Newlands and the Sharks come up against the Lions at the Shark Tank in Durban.

Currie Cup Round 9 Fixtures:

Fri 31 Aug 19:10 Free State Cheetahs v Valke, Bloem
Sat 01 Sept 15:00 Blue Bulls v Griquas, Loftus Versfeld
Sat 01 Sept 15:00 Western Province v Boland, Newlands
Sat 01 Sept 17:05 The Sharks v Golden Lions, Durban

Currie Cup Table:

[TABLE=12]

Broadcast Times:

Web Radio – Radio Sonder Grense (Afrikaans)

Sat 01 Sept: 15:00 SA Gerrie Scheepers Curriebeker Bulle v Griekwas
Sat 01 Sept: 17:00 SA Johan Rademan Haaie v Goue Leeus

South Africa TV – Supersport (All times SA)

Fri 31 Aug: 18:55 – 21:00 CSN/SS1 Currie Cup: FS Cheetahs v Valke
Sat 01 Sept: 14:45 – 17:00 MNET/SS1 Currie Cup: Blue Bulls v Griquas
Sat 01 Sept: 14:45 – 17:00 SS6 Currie Cup: WP v Boland
Sat 01 Sept: 17:00 – 19:00 MNET/SS1 Currie Cup: The Sharks v Lions
Sun 02 Sept: 06:00 – 07:00 SS1 Currie Cup H\L FS Cheetahs v Valke
Sun 02 Sept: 07:00 – 08:00 SS1 Currie Cup H\L Blue Bulls v Griquas
Sun 02 Sept: 08:00 – 09:00 SS1 Currie Cup H\L WP v Boland
Sun 02 Sept: 09:00 – 10:00 SS1 Currie Cup H\L The Sharks v Lions

UK TV Sky Sports (All times UK)

Fri 31 Aug: 18:10 SS3 Currie Cup Free State v Valke
Sat 01 Sept: 19:00 SS2 Currie Cup Sharks v Lions (delayed)

Web TV Mediazone (All times US Eastern Time)

Fri 31 Aug: 13:10 Currie Cup Free State v Valke
Sat 01 Sept: 09:00 Currie Cup Blue Bulls v Griquas
Sat 01 Sept: 11:00 Currie Cup Sharks v Lions

The Fixtures:

31 Aug 19:10 Free State Cheetahs v Valke, Bloem

The unbeaten Free State Cheetahs will look to extend their lead at the top of the Currie Cup table with a good victory over the Valke in Bloemfontein. The Valke have failed to win a game so far this season.

Prediction: Cheetahs by 15

Match Details:
Date: Friday 31 August 2007
Venue: Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19.10 SA (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Christie du Preez (SARU)
Touch judges: Stuart Berry (Natal), Marius Bonthuys (Griffons)
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe (Free State)

Teamsheets:

Free State Cheetahs:
15. Bevin Fortuin, 14. Eddie Fredericks, 13. Marius Joubert, 12. Hendrik Meyer, 11. Gavin Passens, 10. Willem de Waal, 9. Noel Oelschig, 8. Jonah Mokuena, 7. Duane Vermeulen, 6. Hendro Scholtz, 5. Corniel van Zyl, 4. Rory Duncan (Captain), 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Richardt Strauss, 1. Wian Hunter du Preez

Replacements: 16. Andre-Henri le Roux, 17. Jacobus Gerber Calldo, 18. Barend Pieterse, 19. Heinrich Brussow, 20. Kabamba Floors, 21. Tewis de Bruyn, 22. Alwyn Hollenbach

Valke:
15. Jacques Schutte, 13. Bertus Swanepoel, 12. Hanno Coetzee, 11. Mpho Matsaung, 10. Riaan Viljoen, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Wium Victor William Arlow, 7. Schalk van der Merwe, 6. Piet Krause (Captain), 5. Nico Luus, 4. Hein Potgieter, 3. Mox Mxoli, 2. David Britz, 1. Gavin Stuart Whittingham

Replacements: 16. Ryno Joseph Barnes, 17. Gunder Williamson, 18. Marius Coetzer, 19. Roland Bernard, 20. Morne Manesty Adams, 21. Clayton Durand, 22. Showan Smith

01 Sept 15:00 Blue Bulls v Griquas, Loftus Versfeld

The fourth-placed Blue Bulls, without Pierre Spies, take on the sixth-placed Wildeklawer Griquas at Loftus.

Prediction: Blue Bulls by 10

Match Details:
Date: Saturday 1 September 2007
Kick-off: 15.00 SA (GMT 13.00)
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Willie Roos (SARU)
Touch judges: Gert Stander (Leopards), Cobus Wessels (BB)
TMO: Michael Cupido (Golden Lions)

Teamsheets:

Blue Bulls:
15. Johan Roets, 14. John Mametsa, 13. JP Nel, 12. Wayne Julies, 11. Marius Delport, 10. Derick Hougaard, 9. JP Joubert, 8. Pedrie Wannenburg, 7. Gideon Johannes Stegmann, 6. Hottie Louw, 5. Francois van Schouwenburg, 4. James Clifford Milton, 3. Rayno Gerber, 2. Derick Kuun (Captain), 1. Jaco Engels

Replacements: 16. James van der Walt, 17. Werner Kruger, 18. Ruan Vermeulen, 19. Hilton Lobberts, 20. Neil Powell, 21. Morne Steyn, 22. Danwel Demas

Wildeklawer Griquas:
15. Zane Kirchner, 14. Tiger Mangweni, 13. Ronnie Cooke, 12. Herkie Kruger, 11. MJ Mentz, 10. Conrad Barnard, 9. Tertius Carse, 8. Frans Viljoen, 7. Gareth Krause (Captain), 6. Wayne van Heerden, 5. Ockert van Zyl, 4. Evan Botha, 3. Eugene van Staden, 2. Hansie van Dyk, 1. Regardt Herman Dreyer

Replacements: 16. Dirk Johannes Louw, 17. Jacobus Roux, 18. Cilliers Coetzer, 19. Hannes Tredoux, 20. Sarel Pretorius, 21. Barry Geel, 22. Bobby Joubert

01 Sept 15:00 Western Province v Boland, Newlands

The brave Bolanders managed a victory over Western Province in the return fixture earlier in the season. However, despite being crippled by injuries, expect the home side to have too much firepower for their neighbours.

Prediction: Western Province by 5

Match Details:
Date: Saturday 1 September 2007
Kick-off: 15.00 SA (13.00 GMT)
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Phillip Bosch (SARU)
Touch judges: Marius Bonthuys (Griffons), Eugenia Daniels (WP)
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe (Free State). Jenny Bentel (WP)

Teamsheets:

Western Province:
15. Conrad Jantjes, 14. Sireli Naqelevuki, 13. Corne Uys, 12. Peter Grant, 11. Breyton Paulse, 10. Naas Olivier, 9. Bolla Conradie, 8. Robbie Diack, 7. Justin Melck, 6. Pieter Louw, 5. Selborne Boome, 4. Francois van der Merwe, 3. Brok Harris, 2. Schalk Brits (Captain), 1. Schalk Ferreira

Replacements: 16. Christiaan Liebenberg, 17. JD Moller, 18. Rito Hlungwane, 19. David Hendricks, 20. Paul Delport, 21. De Wet Barry, 22. Gio Aplon

Boland Kavaliers:
Team: 15. Justin Peach, 14. John Daniels, 13. Hein Johan Myburgh, 12. Antonius Verhoeven, 11. Jongi Nokwe, 10. Isma-eel Dollie, 9. Dewaldt Otto Duvenage, 8. Nicolas Francois Prinsloo, 7. Chris Potgieter, 6. Angelo Brinkhuys, 5. Bernadus van Blerk, 4. Dries van Schalkwyk, 3. Tommy Dixon, 2. John Burke (Captain), 1. Johannes Lambrechts van Niekerk

Replacements: 16. Clement Lewis, 17. Cornelius Hermanus Vermaas, 18. Coenraad Johannes Basson, 19. Francis Henry Horne, 20. Neil Papier, 21. Lionel Curtis Cornelius, 22. Rennie Dazel

01 Sept 17:05 The Sharks v Golden Lions, Durban

In the main game of the weekend, the second-placed Sharks host the third-placed Lions at the Shark Tank in Durban.

Prediction: The Sharks by 5

Match Details:
Date: Saturday 1 September 2007
Kick-off: 17.00 SA (15.00 GMT)
Venue: Absa Stadium, Durban
Referee: JC Fortuin (SARU)
Touch judges: Linston Manuels (SARU), Mtheleni Msileni (EP)
TMO: Johann Meuwesen (EP)

Teamsheets:

The Sharks:
15. Monty Dumond, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. Waylon Murray, 12. Grant Rees, 11. Henno Mentz, 10. Bradley Barritt, 9. Rory Kockott, 8. Ryan Kankowski, 7. AJ Venter (Captain), 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Johan Ackermann, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Patric Michael Cilliers, 2. Skipper Badenhorst, 1. Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16. Craig Bruce Burden, 17. Robbie Harris, 18. Nikolai Shamako Blignaut, 19. Keegan Daniel, 20. Scott Mathie, 21. Adrian Jacobs, 22. Gcobani Bobo

Golden Lions:
15. Louis Ludik, 14. Wylie Human, 13. Jan Hendrik Boshoff, 12. Doppies la Grange, 11. Ryno Benjamin, 10. Louis Strydom, 9. Jano Vermaak, 8. Jacques Cronje, 7. Ernst Joubert (Captain), 6. Cobus Grobbelaar, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Anton van Zyl, 3. Lawrence Sephaka, 2. Willie Wepener, 1. Heinke van der Merwe

Replacements: 16. Ethienne Reynecke, 17. Jacobus Christo (Lions) Janse van Rensburg, 18. Cobus Grobler, 19. Willem Alberts, 20. Freddie van Zyl, 21. Thabang Molefe, 22. Jaco van Schalkwyk