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RYAN VREDE watch the Lions slump to yet another defeat, going down 34-20 against the Reds in Brisbane.

The week has been testing for the Lions and it ended in the worst possible fashion. A meeting between the domestic unions failed to resolve the issue of the how a sixth franchise will be accommodated in 2013, the Cheetahs indicated that they are not open to a merger and the details emerged of a R1.5m debt to the Pumas and Leopards that, if left unsettled, will result in automatic relegation from Super Rugby.

Some say the Lions are playing for pride. That couldn’t be further from the truth. They’re playing for their Super Rugby future. And for 20 minutes they played with the desperation, intensity and intelligence that was befitting for men in their position.

Keeping the ball close they found some purchase in punching up around the fringes or when they set up pods of forwards and played through phases. They denied the Reds possession and made them look ordinary and beatable in the process, opening a six-nil lead through the boot of Elton Janjties.

But the optimism that period elicited was relatively short-lived, the Reds completely dominating possession and territory in a devastating 50 minute spell thereafter. They scored through Liam Gill after depleting the Lions’ defensive line through a multi-phase attack. Mike Harris converted and added two penalties for a comfortable lead. They should have been further ahead at half-time (13-6), Harris spilling a ball with the line at his mercy and the ball being held up in the goal area just before the break.

The Reds replaced Quade Cooper – who had a relatively quiet return to action – at the break, but their primary threat was up front, with their powerful, patient and organised phase play. The Lions lost Franco van der Merwe for cynically halting one such rumble two minutes into the second half and the Reds capitalised immediately, Saia Faingaa powering over from close range and Harris banking the extras.

Five minutes later former schoolboy sensation Chris F’sautia started and finished a move that had the Lions chasing shadows, and when Jantjies and Jaco Taute conspired to butcher the simplest of tries by getting in each other’s way the writing was on the wall.

Under pressure the Lions reverted to the ugly and inefficient expansive approach that had accounted for their lowly log position. The Reds relish such brainless tactics and duly punished them after a runner was isolated, with the ball shifted wide to Will Genia who exploited an unset defensive line and sprinted 50m to score.

The Reds made a string of changes that affected their synergy, and, as they had in previous matches, the Lions profited from this, giving their long-suffering supporters an opportunity to speak of a brave effort. But they are fooling themselves. This is not a side fit for Super Rugby and unless the South African Rugby Union can convince the Cheetahs to alter their stance on a merger the Lions will watch this tournament from the comfort of their couches in 2013.

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RYAN VREDE reports on a compelling 16-11 victory for the Highlanders over the Bulls.

For a brief period in the dying minutes you thought the Bulls would do another great escape, like they did in Sydney last week. But on the balance of play they didn’t deserve the win. There are smiles in the home changeroom and undoubtedly thousands of kilometres away in Cape Town from Stormers players, who’ve been handed a massive incentive for victory.

There was nothing pretty about this match. It was brutal and relentless in an old-school sense. There was no doubting the hunger for victory and even though it was played with very little structure for large periods, it had a magnetic appeal.

Finesse wasn’t a feature of either side’s first half effort. That the Highlanders would try and run the Bulls off their feet was predictable. They came into this contest having kicked less than any team in the tournament. It isn’t a tactic unfamiliar to the Bulls, whose bulky tight forwards have for some time been seen as a liability against opposition who play expansively.

But there was little power, purpose, patience or synergy about the Highlanders’ attack and the Bulls had clearly braced themselves for an intense gainline fight, one they won through accurate and dominant hits, while their discipline amplified that challenge. This stifled the Highlanders’ momentum and they looked largely rudderless and impotent when the ball was shovelled to their back division.

The hosts’ cause was further undermined by the Bulls’ excellent lineout contest – hooker Jason Rutledge reduced to looking like a tanked up darts player. Robbed of this attacking platform the Highlanders had only their scrum to rely on as a solid attacking launch.

Certainly they enjoyed the bulk of possession, but they did nothing to inspire and looked devoid of the ability to explore alternative avenues of attack.

It therefore appeared to be a question of how long the Bulls’ defensive resistance could sustain and how often they could force penalties on the occasions they managed to drive into the Highlanders’ territory. They had done little on attack to suggest they could score tries if needed, their cleaners useless in denying the Highlanders’ breakdown scrappers opportunities at slowing or stealing their ball. Their kicking game was also poor, Francois Hougaard’s struggles central to their mediocrity in this regard. It is the weakest part of his game and why the Bulls persist in asking him to kick with the regularity he does is perplexing.

However, the Bulls lead 6-3 at half-time thanks to two Morne Steyn penalties (he’d also missed two), but Mike Delany levelled the score shortly after the restart.

The Highlanders’ primary strike runner were gaining in prominence and punch as the match progressed, and going into the final quarter the Bulls’ task was complicated when they lost Dean Greyling to the sin bin for a breakdown offence. The Highlanders launched wave after wave of attacks and finally eroded the Bulls’ resolve through Jarrad Hoeata. Delany banked the extras then added a penalty for a 10-point lead.

With 10 minutes remaining the Bulls were required to improve their attacking play dramatically. They responded well, playing through phases and crafting a chance for Greyling, who knocked on in the attempt to score. But Willie Wepener crossed in the next passage of play, although Steyn missed the most critical of his goal kicks.

The Bulls upped the ante in search of the decisive score they required. Pierre Spies surrendered possession in a surge for the tryline. They had one more opportunity at the death, but their ambition crumbled when the Highlanders effected a breakdown turnover, their eighth of the evening.

The Highlanders get their play-off charge back on track, while the Bulls could now be overtaken at the top of the South African conference if the Stormers win this evening. With the Chiefs waiting next weekend, what promised to be a outstanding tour could end up being a decidedly mediocre one. In the context of their title challenge, the importance of winning in Hamilton cannot be overstated.

SIMON BORCHARDT watched the Crusaders score nine tries in their 59-12 thrashing of the Blues in Christchurch.

The Saders put last week’s shock defeat to the Rebels behind them with a clinical performance against the second-worst team in the tournament. They dominated the scrums and lineouts, and created pressure by stringing the phases together and forcing their opponents to make tackle after tackle.

The Crusaders shot out to a 12-0 lead after as many minutes thanks to tries to flanker Matt Todd, who scored from a driving maul, and right winger Adam Whitelock, who took advantage of an overlap that came after another good passage of play from the forwards.

A foot in touch from Sam Whitelock cost the second rower a try in the corner at the end of the first quarter, but the Crusaders stole the lineout ball and captain Richie McCaw was driven over.

The Crusaders scored another two tries just before half-time, through lock Luke Romano and hooker Corey Flynn, to make it 31-0.

That became 45-0 after 10 minutes of the second half, with scrumhalf Andy Ellis being put away from a scrum and Flynn grabbing his double.

The Crusaders then made several substitutions, which disrupted their momentum, and Blues replacement Lachie Munro was able to score two tries, the second coming after the full-time hooter.

But the hosts were able to add another two of their own, with winger Zac Guildford and replacement fullback Tom Marshall completing the rout.

The All Blacks and the Hurricanes have been dealt a big blow with news that Cory Jane will be unavailable for the next six weeks.

Jane sustained an ankle injury in Friday’s match between the Hurricanes and the Brumbies. The winger will miss the next two rounds of Super Rugby as well as the entire Test series between the All Blacks and Ireland.

Chiefs centre Richard Kahui will also miss the series after dislocating his shoulder last week. This means that the All Blacks will be without the men that started on the wings during last year’s successful World Cup campaign.

The Hurricanes will also be without flank Karl Lowe for four to six weeks. Lowe injured his medial ligament in Friday’s game.

The Southern Kings are set to receive a handy cash injection with news that Guma Tac intends to invest in South Africa’s newest Super Rugby franchise.

Guma Tac, which is jointly owned by Robert Gumede and Ivor Ichowitz, parted ways with the Lions but are still determined to make a telling contribution to rugby in this country. On Friday it was confirmed Guma Tac had been in discussions with the Kings.

‘We are committed to supporting the Kings rugby franchise, provided Saru places them in a position where they are able to compete in Super Rugby and it is not simply a one-year token participation,’ Ichikowitz said in a statement.

‘It is our belief that the Kings have waited long enough and are more than deserving to be given the opportunity to participate in Super Rugby.’

Guma Tac said it hoped to initiate a high performance structure at the Kings which focused on developing local talent from villages and townships in the Eastern Cape.

‘There are substantial amounts of players participating in Super Rugby that come from the Eastern Cape,’ Gumede said.

‘It is a shame that they have been forced to ply their trade elsewhere. This team needs the opportunity to demonstrate their potential. We intend to provide this for them.’

The Kings have already been guaranteed participation in the 2013 Super Rugby competition. Saru has however, delayed finalising the structure of next year’s tournament in terms of which of the existing five franchises will fall away. This decision will only be finalised on 7 July.

‘The delay to finalise 2013 and the pending Kings inclusion is creating frustration and putting the Kings in a situation where they may not have enough time to secure quality players and sponsors,’ Gumede said.

‘The value of an investment is in the quality of players attracted to the team. One cannot build an elite performance team with contract players entering retirement.

‘As equity partners, we hope to attract players who are playing on merit for other franchises to come back to their home team and are committed to supplementing them with South African and international marquee players. To achieve this, we would need to be able to offer long term contracts.

‘We urge Saru to be decisive on this matter so that we can make a long-term commitment.’

WP snatched a dramatic 20-18 victory in Friday’s Vodacom Cup final to win their first title in 11 years.

Not since Western Province lifted the 2001 Currie Cup has a Cape side won a senior competition. WP left it until the last play to secure Friday’s result, but the manner of victory will not worry the Capetonians. The silverware will bring a small degree of relief to a union that’s had no success in terms of winning titles over the past decade.

Province may have come into this clash unbeaten, but they were the lesser side for much of the game. Griquas were dominant at the set pieces and collisions, and bossed territory and possession for the majority of the contest. It was all WP could do to hold on and prevent Griquas from running away with the game.

As the end approached, one couldn’t help but feel that the loser would bear the tag of choker. Griquas had dominated but missed several penalty attempts in the fourth quarter, and in retrospect just one of those penalties would have been enough to win the title.

Before the decisive score, WP had botched several scoring opportunities. Five metres out from their opponents’ line, they conceded scrum turnovers on two occasions. Captain Nick Fenton-Wells turned down a kickable penalty after 67 minutes, and the decision proved flawed as WP lost the subsequent lineout.

But for all of their failings, they never gave up. The Griquas defence was superb, and there seemed to be no way through. It required no small measure of patience for WP to wear Griquas down, and when the hosts finally relented, flanker Rohan Kitshoff was the man to crash over and level the scores.

It was still down to Demetri Catrakilis to win the game, as the conversion was by no means a sitter. The WP flyhalf slotted it coolly, giving WP their first ever win in this competition.

Brumbies flank Michael Hooper has been cited for foul play during a match against the Hurricanes.

Hooper lifted Hurricanes No 8 Victor Vito in a tackle and brought him to the ground while his legs were still in the air.

Referee Mark Lawrence penalised Hooper for the incident, and upon further review of the match footage the citing commissioner deemed the incident had met the red card threshold for foul play.

The citing is to be considered in the first instance by Sanzar duty judicial officer Mike Heron.

The Lions will be ‘automatically relegated’ if they do not resolve a long standing dispute with franchise partners the Pumas and Leopards.

This was decided by Saru at its last executive council meeting, according to an article in the The New Age.

Official documentation in possession of the newspaper says the Lions have until the end of this season to come to an agreement with their partners (the Golden Lions, Pumas and Leopards make up the Lions franchise), who this week confirmed that negotiations relating to the repayment of outstanding broadcasting fees have failed.

‘Our endeavours to resolve this matter out of court have been unsuccessful and we have been left with no choice but to arbitrate,’ Leopards president Andre May told The New Age.

According to the official documentation, until the matter is resolved:

a) Broadcast revenue payments are to be withheld from the Lions
b) Payments of R750,000 each be made to the Pumas and Leopards
c) Automatic relegation from Super Rugby at the end of 2012 Super Rugby competition for the Lions.

JON CARDINELLI writes that great goal-kicking was the difference in the Brumbies’ 37-25 victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington.

How did the Hurricanes conspire to throw this match away? They scored their fourth try in the third quarter and looked to be cruising to an important win, but faded badly in the last 20 minutes and allowed the visitors to score 19 unanswered points.

It will be regarded as an ugly win for Jake White’s team even though they bagged five log points from a difficult visit to Wellington. It was also ironic that some form of kicking would propel the Brumbies to a fantastic result, as their kicking from hand was nothing short of aimless.

They controlled the earlier periods of play and shot to a 10-0 lead, but were subsequently punished for some poor tactical punts. Too often the high balls or tactical probes were too long, allowing a dangerous Hurricanes back three to collect and counter-attack with damaging results.

The Hurricanes forwards also came back strongly, and TJ Perenara scored in the 17th minute after the heavies had set a great platform. Victor Vito added the hosts’ second from a neat set-piece move, and the Hurricanes looked to have seized the initiative right before half-time.

Perenara snatched his second after the break, finishing an opportunity that was rooted again in strong forward play and poor kicking by the Brumbies.

Rookie flyhalf Zack Holmes managed to goal a penalty during this period, but the Canes kept on coming, and another strong drive from the lineout had the Brumbies defence stretched. Reserve prop Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen barrelled over from a subsequent surge, and at 25-16 the Canes were set for a fine finish.

But while the Canes had done well to win the battle for territory and punish Brumbies errors, they had failed to capitalise via an accurate goal-kicking performance. Following Toomaga-Allen’s try, they were nine points ahead, but wayward goal-attempts meant they had left a further nine points out on the field. It was this inaccuracy, as well as an unforgivable lapse in the last quarter, that would result in them losing the game.

The Brumbies were guilty of poor kicking out of hand, but they stuck to their tactics and began to enjoy the benefits in the dying stages. Their forwards also came back strongly, and it was some neat inter-passing between the visiting tight forwards that resulted in a try by lock Sam Carter.

They looked to have botched a scoring opportunity when they knocked on five metres out from the Canes’ tryline, but won a tighthead at the ensuing scrum. Michael Hooper swooped on the loose ball and emerged from a pile of bodies. The accurate goal-kicking boot of Holmes ensured that they made the lead five points instead of three.

The Brumbies flyhalf completed a memorable first start with a seven pointer moments later, and at 37-25, the game was over. The Canes attempted to close the gap in last 10 minutes but coughed up possession at the critical moment. In the end, a determined Brumbies defensive effort denied the Canes a losing bonus point.

The result sees the Brumbies consolidating their place at the top of the Australian conference and keeping the Reds at arm’s length. Following such a gutting loss at home, the Hurricanes should struggle to stay in the play-off race.

JON CARDINELLI and RYAN VREDE analyse the key match-ups and pick the winners at the weekend.

Hands up everybody who picked the Rebels last week? At this point one can imagine a sea of virtual hands shooting up, but we know you’re lying. Nobody in their right mind would have picked the Rebels to beat the Crusaders. Nobody. It will go down as one of the biggest upsets in Super Rugby history.

But having said that, and while we’re on the topic of madness, JC has picked the Rebels to…wait for it… win away from home this weekend. Both keo.co.za writers expect the Bulls’ winning run Down Under to continue, while the Sharks and Stormers should also extend their winning streaks.

The Cheetahs will be brought to earth and the Lions should be dealt another harsh lesson in Brisbane.

KEO.CO.ZA SUCCESS RATE
VREDE: 54/79 (68%)
JC: 55/79 (69%)

HURRICANES vs BRUMBIES, WELLINGTON, FRI 09:35

VREDE’S CALL: The Canes are unpredictable, beating the Highlanders last week but having lost games they were expected to win comfortably. Coach Mark Hammett has brought greater structure to their play, while not compromising their natural attacking instincts. Still, they’ve shown vulnerabilities against sides who play directly and pin them in their territory, forcing them to take risks. The Brumbies will certainly have the pack to dominate in general play, but the loss of both their frontline flyhalves will seriously compromise their tactical kicking game. Expect to see the Canes hurt them from broken field situations. With the impressive Michael Hooper patrolling the deck, the hosts must guard against getting too loose in their attacking play. They did this well last week and if they replicate that performance, as well as continue their improvement on defence, they will take another step closer to the play-off spot they covet. Hurricanes by 5
JC’s CALL: Mark Hammett has made an odd decision to bench Beauden Barrett for this clash, as he not only kicks for goal but is the spearhead of that dangerous backline. Tusi Pisi showed some great touches for Samoa at last year’s World Cup, but has not been afforded a great deal of game time for the Canes. However, what will even things out in the halfback stakes is that Jake White has also made an interesting decision to start rookie Zack Holmes alongside Ian Prior. In Nic White, the Brumbies look to have found a player with a kicking game not unlike that of Fourie du Preez. It will be interesting to see if the Brumbies can suffocate the Canes without White’s accurate boot. The visitors have the superior pack, but they will need to translate dominance into points and know that no lead is safe against a Canes side that specialises in end-to-end try-scoring. If the Brumbies were fielding a more settled halfback combination I’d pick them in a heartbeat, but I have a feeling that given the selections and the fact that this match will take place in the Cake Tin, I’m going with the Canes. Hurricanes by 7

Hurricanes – 15 Andre Taylor, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (c), 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Karl Lowe, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Ben May, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Reggie Goodes.
Subs: 16 Motu Matu’u, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 James Broadhurst, 19 Jack Lam, 20 Chris Eaton, 21 Beauden Barrett, 22 Jayden Hayward.

Brumbies – 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Andrew Smith, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Zack Holmes, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Fotu Auelua, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Ben Mowen (c), 5 Sam Carter, 4 Scott Fardy, 3 Dan Palmer, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Ben Alexander.
Subs: 16 Anthony Hegarty, 17 Ruaidhri Murphy, 18 Peter Kimlin, 19 Ita Vaea, 20 Nic White, 21 Robbie Coleman, 22 Tevita Kuridrani.

HIGHLANDERS vs BULLS, DUNEDIN, SAT 07:30

VREDE’S CALL: In their defeat to the Hurricanes last week, there were undoubtedly signs that the Highlanders’ impressive run was about to come to an abrupt halt. They struggled with the Canes’ physicality at the tackle point in particular, and any Bulls win must be built on dominance in this facet of play, particularly on defence. The Landers seldom kick the ball, with Nasi Manu and Adam Thomson used to generate attacking momentum that their backline thrives on. But robbed of such a platform, they look impotent. I think the Bulls will win this critical battle, while their attacking method will put them into positions to pressure the Landers into errors. They’ll build their lead through Morne Steyn’s boot but are also adept at scoring tries Bulls by 9
JC’S CALL: The Bulls have a fantastic opportunity in the next two weeks, as two more wins will heap the pressure on the Stormers who are chasing that top spot in the South African conference. But in denying their fiercest rivals, the Bulls would do well to replicate the Stormers’ previous performance against the Highlanders. An enclosed stadium may have eliminated the Dunedin weather factor that had become so debilitating, but the Highlanders are still tough to beat at home. The Bulls must overpower the Highlanders at the point of contact, and an improved defensive effort is non-negotiable. As seen in the game against the Cheetahs, a brief lapse and this Highlanders outfit can score three tries in no time at all. They may be on the slide in this competition, but they aren’t a beaten side until the final whistle. It’s going to be tight. Bulls by 3

Highlanders – 15 Ben Smith, 14 Siale Piutau, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Nick Crosswell, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (c).
Subs: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Hoani MacDonald/Josh Bekhuis, 19 Scott Fuglistaller, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Chris Noakes, 22 Kenny Lynn.

Bulls РZane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morn̩ Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Juandr̩ Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Subs: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.

CRUSADERS vs BLUES, CHRISTCHURCH, SAT 09:35

VREDE’S CALL: The Blues’ joy after a win over the Lions will be short-lived, with the Crusaders set to give them a reality check. The Christchurch franchise played poorly in defeat to the Rebels last week, but they’ll show that to be an aberration with a physically dominant performance from their forwards in general and set play which will set up the back division to rip the Blues to ribbons. Crusaders by 10
JC’S CALL: For once Todd Blackadder has lived up to his name: The Crusaders coach was as mad as a snake following the ‘worst-ever’ performance by a Christchurch side last week. All the stars have since been reinstalled, and Dan Carter resumes his successful halfback partnership with Andy Ellis. The back row includes three players that can play to the ball, suggesting the Crusaders are expecting a big breakdown assault by the Braid brothers. The Blues’ brief reprieve is over, and they’ll do well to avoid a drubbing. Crusaders by 12

Blues – 15 Hadleigh Parkes, 14 David Raikuna, 13 Ma’a Nonu, 12 Michael Hobbs, 11 Benson Stanley, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Luke Braid (c), 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Liaki Moli, 3 Tevita Mailau, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Subs: 16 James Parsons, 17 Angus Ta’avao, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Peter Saili, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 Lachie Munro, 22 Sherwin Stowers.

Crusaders – 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Adam Whitelock, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Richie McCaw (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Subs: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Tom Donnelly, 19 Brendon O’Connor, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Tyler Bleyendaal, 22 Tom Marshall.

REDS vs LIONS, BRISBANE, SAT 11:40

VREDE’S CALL: I backed these lame Lions against the tournament’s worst side last week but that mantle has now been passed on to them. They are incompetent in most facets of play and won’t live with a resurgent Reds side, who will be buoyed by the return of Quade Cooper. There is not an area of the game the Lions can match the Reds in, and Mitchell’s Travelling Circus will roll on to Perth next week without having threatened to thrill on tour. Reds by 15
JC’S CALL: This match couldn’t have arrived at a better time for the Reds. They pushed the Crusaders close, collected five log points from the match against the high-flying Chiefs and are now poised to bank another five from this encounter with the Pussy Cats. Expect the Reds to dominate the collisions and Liam Gill to punish the errant Lions at the breakdown via some telling turnovers. The Reds will be a force on both attack and the counter, and watch out for the dazzling skills of their halfbacks and the brute force of Digby Ioane. Playing on the front foot, the returning Quade Cooper will have a ball. Reds by 20

Reds – 15 Ben Lucas, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Anthony Faingaa, 12 Mike Harris, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia; 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Jake Schatz, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 James Slipper, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Greg Holmes.
Subs: 16 James Hanson, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Adam Wallace-Harrison, 19 Eddie Quirk, 20 Nick Frisby, 21 Chris F’sautia, 22 Luke Morahan.

Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Joshua Strauss (c), 7 Grant Hattingh, 6 Derrick Minnie, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Franco van der Merwe, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Subs: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Cobus Grobbelaar, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Tian Meyer, 21 Ruan Combrinck, 22 James Kamana.

CHEETAHS vs SHARKS, BLOEMFONTEIN, SAT 17:05

VREDE’S CALL: The Sharks have struggled in Bloemfontein in the past but I think a combination of their desperation to hold on to their play-off place and the Cheetahs’ lack of a quality flyhalf will see John Plumtree’s men win a game that is critical for them in the context of their season. The Cheetahs looked rudderless in the face of the Stormers’ robust and organised defence and the Sharks will have to base their challenge on such defence. They showed improvement in this regard in recent weeks, while their attack has had more synergy than it had in the early part of the season. There must be a marriage of the two and I think there will be. Sharks by 7
JC’S CALL: Discipline is going to be crucial in this encounter. Both teams have been guilty of poor discipline in the past, and so the side that loses its cool this week is going to be at a disadvantage. Both have also been inconsistent when it’s come to their respective defensive lines. What will Saturday bring? The Sharks have improved as the season has progressed while the Cheetahs have struggled in the last month. The hosts will find the Sharks attack more difficult to repel than that of the Stormers, and will miss the accurate goal- and tactical-kicking of Johan Goosen. If Goosen was still around, you’d have to say the Cheetahs would be in with a shout. Despite their shaky defence, they have a strong pack and an attack that can strike from any part of the field. Unfortunately for the Free State faithful, the Cheetahs won’t do enough to deny the Sharks another valuable win. Sharks by 10

Cheetahs – 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Cameron Jacobs, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Heinrich Brussouw, 5 George Earle, 4 Izak van der Westhuizen, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Subs: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman.

Sharks – 15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. JP Pietersen, 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Tim Whitehead, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Keegan Daniel (c), 7. Marcell Coetzee, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Anton Bresler, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Willem Alberts, 19. Jean Deysel, 20. Ryan Kankowski, 21. Frederic Michalak, 22. Meyer Bosman.

STORMERS vs WARATAHS, CAPE TOWN, SAT 19:10

VREDE’S CALL: The Waratahs have offered nothing on attack to suggest they can trouble the Stormers’ brilliant defence. They have made a number of positional changes in the backline, and introduced players they believe have game-breaking qualities, but they won’t have the forwards to build the platform they need to give those players the time and space they need to be effective. There is no reason to expect the Stormers’ sterile backline play to improve, but they’ll kick their way to another victory, although their home play-off hopes fade with every match that passes where they fail to register five points. Stormers by 10
JC’S CALL: The Stormers smashed the Waratahs twice in 2010, and on both occasions they won the match via a powerful showing up front. Their loose forward stocks are depleted which suggests they won’t be as dominant at the gainline, and the synergy between forwards and backs may thus be slightly compromised. The Waratahs were competitive against the Bulls last week, and coach Michael Foley has picked halfbacks with strong kicking games. With wet weather set to dictate a more conservative approach from teams that are already conservative by nature, it should be a massive arm-wrestle at Newlands. Both teams also possess excellent goal-kickers, and you have to feel that the team that dominates territory and creates the most scoring opportunities, be they tries, penalties or drop-goals, is going to win the game. Despite their attacking failings, I reckon that at home the Stormers will be favourites to win this battle and ultimately the game. Stormers by 6

Stormers – 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Don Armand, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.

Waratahs – 15. Bernard Foley, 14. Tom Kingston, 13. Rob Horne, 12. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 11. Atieli Pakalani, 10. Berrick Barnes, 9. Brendan McKibbin, 8. Dave Dennis, 7. Chris Alcock, 6. Rocky Elsom (c), 5. Sitaleki Timani, 4. Dean Mumm, 3. Sekope Kepu, 2. John Ulugia/Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson
Subs: 16. Josh Mann-Rea, 17. Jeremy Tilse, 18. Kane Douglas, 19. Jono Jenkins, 20. Wycliff Palu, 21. Sarel Pretorius, 22. Daniel Halangahu

FORCE vs REBELS, PERTH, SUN 08:35

VREDE’S CALL: The Rebels were very good against the Crusaders last week but they’ve struggled for consistency and their away record is awful. The Force will boss the gainline and set phases setting up their attacking base in this manner. From there they’ll exploit a fragile Rebels defence for victory. Force by 8
JC’S CALL: I’ve learned the hard way that you don’t pick the Rebels when they play away from Melbourne. And yet there’s been something in their forward play, as well as the flyhalf performances of Kurtley Beale that have got me thinking. This also isn’t just another game away from home, it’s a game between the Rebels and the Force, the fourth and fifth-placed teams in the Aussie conference. The Force are also returning from a poor tour to South Africa. They’ve made changes, but if the Rebels can maintain their physical intensity, the Force will struggle to make an impact. Rebels by 5

Force – 15 Dave Harvey, 14 Sam Wara, 13 Will Tupou, 12 Rory Sidey, 11 Napolioni Nalaga, 10 Ben Seymour, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock (c), 6 Matt Hodgson, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Salesi Ma’afu, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.
Subs: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Salesi Manu, 18 Phoenix Battye, 19 Lachlan McCaffrey, 20 Josh Holmes, 21 Winston Stanley, 22 Alfie Mafi.

Rebels – 15 Julian Huxley, 14 Mark Gerrard, 13 Mitch Inman, 12 Lachlan Mitchell, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Gareth Delve (c), 7 Michael Lipman, 6 Tim Davidson, 5 Hugh Pyle, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Rodney Blake, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Nic Henderson.
Subs: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Jono Owen, 18 Al Campbell, 19 Hugh Perrett, 20 Nic Stirzaker, 21 James Hilgendorf, 22 Stirling Mortlock.

You can bet on the Cheetahs and Lions playing as the Cats next year.

Voltbet.com is offering odds of 1-1 on this happening, with 5-2 odds of the five existing SA franchises playing again next year (ie, no Kings), 5-1 odds of all six SA teams getting in, and 6-1 odds on the Kings coming in for the bottom-placed Lions. Less likely, according to the bookies, is that the Kings merge with another team (10-1) and a team other than the Lions makes way for the Kings (50-1).

A recent article on keo.co.za said a return to the Cats would be the best way for Saru to accommodate the Kings next year as both Johannesburg and Bloemfontein would continue to have Super Rugby (four home league matches each).

Saru met with the five existing SA franchises on Thursday, but were again unable to come up with a solution. They will meet again on Monday, with a final decision being made at a general council meeting on 13 July.

Saru CEO Jurie Roux said that ‘everyone agreed that we must secure a solution that does not damage the existing franchises’, which suggests no team will be relegated.

Saru would not confirm that the Kings were still guaranteed their place in the 2013 Super Rugby tournament, which had been given to them after all 14 unions voted in favour of their inclusion at a special general meeting on 27 January.

Dale will host Queen’s in the Schoolboy Derby feature match of the weekend.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SCHOOLDERBY NEWS

Both schools have a strong chance of victory in this Eastern Cape Reunion derby on Saturday.

Dale have been the most impressive team from the region, enjoying an unbeaten streak with nine wins and two draws from their 11 fixtures. Their two stalemates have come against Glenwood (24-24) and Paul Roos (27-27), with the latter having to score a last-minute try to avoid defeat.

Queen’s suffered three defeats at the Kearsney Easter Festival earlier this year, but have built good momentum since then and now have an impressive record. They have won seven of their ten fixtures, including a big 22-19 win over Grey PE two weeks ago.

Dale on the charge in their win over Westville

But it is believed that this will count for nothing as Eastern Cape derbies are usually close contests. This was proven in Dale’s 10-9 edging of Selborne last weekend. Despite Selborne’s poor form this year (they had lost six times before the match), Dale still had to dig deep for the win.

Dale 1st XV head coach Grant Griffiths believes it will be another tight affair against Queen’s.

‘All records and previous form definitely goes out the window when it comes to these kind of clashes,’ Griffiths told Schoolboy Derby. ‘Selborne played very well, and it will be another big challenge against Queen’s.

‘This is our Reunion match, so the atmosphere will be big! All the old boys, pupils, their families and spectators always make it a major occasion.’

Griffiths credits his team’s 2012 success because of their big pack of forwards, which will be key in their challenge against Queen’s.

‘In the past, we’ve always had a good backline. But this year, we have a couple of big boys up front and that has given us some bite,’ he said. ‘I managed to see Queen’s in action this year and they have a well balanced team. Their halfback pair is very influential in their game plan. They were unlucky to lose some of their contests, but have come back strongly.

‘The key battle will be between the forwards. We need to create a good platform for our backs.’

By Gareth Duncan

The Highlanders have made four changes to their starting line-up for their match against the Bulls in Dunedin on Saturday.

Three changes are up among the forwards as skipper Jamie Mackintosh returns to the lead his troops. The captain was rested against the Hurricanes last week, and he takes Chris King’s place at loosehead prop. Hooker Jason Rutledge is another change in the front row as All Black Andrew Hore is relegated to the bench.

Flank Tim Boys comes into the loose trio as Nick Crosswell shifts to lock. This sees Josh Beckhuis drop to the reserves and he is bracketed with Hoani MacDonald.

There is one change in the backline. Flyhalf Mike Delany will spearhead the Highlanders with Chris Noakes on the wood.

Highlanders – 15 Ben Smith, 14 Siale Piutau, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Nick Crosswell, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (c).
Subs: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Hoani MacDonald/Josh Bekhuis, 19 Scott Fuglistaller, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Chris Noakes, 22 Kenny Lynn.

The Melbourne Rebels have made no changes to their run-on side for the clash against the Force in Perth on Sunday.

Coach Damien Hill has named the same starting XV that beat the Crusaders 28-19 last weekend. This sees Kurtley Beale continue his stint at flyhalf.

Hooker Adam Freier is set to make his 100th Super Rugby appearance off the bench.

Rebels – 15 Julian Huxley, 14 Mark Gerrard, 13 Mitch Inman, 12 Lachlan Mitchell, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Gareth Delve (c), 7 Michael Lipman, 6 Tim Davidson, 5 Hugh Pyle, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Rodney Blake, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Nic Henderson.
Subs: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Jono Owen, 18 Al Campbell, 19 Hugh Perrett, 20 Nic Stirzaker, 21 James Hilgendorf, 22 Stirling Mortlock.

Schoolboy Derby focuses on all the top 1st XV matches from around the country.

WESTERN CAPE

Bishops and SACS face off in a match that is believed to be the oldest schoolboy fixture in the country. Both schools have suffered losses last week, but will want to bounce back in this southern suburb derby.

Paul Roos host Oakdale in what will be a major match at the Markotter Fields, while Tygerberg take on Strand.

Fixtures:
Bishops vs SACS
Outeniqua vs Brackenfell
Paul Roos vs Oakdale
Tygerberg vs Strand
Wynberg vs Durbanville
Bellville vs De Kuilen

EASTERN CAPE

Apart from the Dale-Queen’s clash, St Andrew’s host Daniel Pienaar in what will be another big Eastern Cape match. Grey PE will want to get over recent defeats to Queen’s and Wynberg with a triumph over Graeme.

Fixtures:
Dale vs Queen’s
St Andrew’s vs Daniel Pienaar
Graeme vs Grey PE
Pearson vs Kingswood
Hudson park vs Aliwal North

KZN

Maritzburg will be confident of victory when they face Hilton this weekend, while Glenwood will want to recover from their loss to Kearsney against DHS.

Kearsney entertain travelling St Stithians.

Fixtures:
Maritzburg vs Hilton
Kearsney vs St Stithians
Glenwood vs DHS

UP NORTH

Grey Bloem and Affies will have easy outings against Sentraal and Jeppe respectively. Both schools should be too strong for their opposition. KES host KZN’s Westville in what should be an exciting fixture. The hosts have shown good form this year, and will be favourites for the win.

Fixtures:
Grey Bloem vs Sentraal
KES vs Westville
Jeppe vs Affies
Monument vs Parktown
St John’s vs Michaelhouse
Menlopark vs St Alban’s
Die Anker vs Kempton Park
Eldoraigne vs Zwartkop
HTS Witbank vs HTS Middelburg
Middelburg vs Nelspruit

Wallabies and Reds loose forward Scott Higginbotham has signed a new two-year deal with the Melbourne Rebels.

The 25-year-old was expected to extend his current contract with Super Rugby defending champions the Reds, but he has decided to go for the more lucrative offer with the Rebels. With the Melbourne side losing captain and Welsh No 8 Gareth Delve at the end of the season, they have found a quality replacement in Higginbotham.

A disappointed Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said his team tried their best to keep the player in Ballymore.

‘We have to work within our structures,’ McKenzie told AAP. ‘We offered him a good deal and we’ve delivered a good rugby program to him that’s made him a Wallaby and that’s all you can do.

‘At the end of the day, he’d like to be living in Queensland and surfing the beaches up here. But the bottom line is we can only pay players what they are individually worth in our squad.’

Saru will hold a second meeting with the South African Super Rugby franchises on Monday as they negotiate a solution to accommodate the Southern Kings.

Representatives of South Africa’s five existing Super Rugby franchises (the Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks and Stormers), the Kings, the Saru presidency and management met in Johannesburg on Thursday to discuss next year’s participation in Super Rugby.

With Sanzar only allowing five teams to be entered in each conference and Saru promising the Kings a spot in the competition in 2013, one of the five current participating teams needs to make way.

Saru confirmed their initial proposal of introducing automatic relegation this season, which would see the Lions fall out according to the current log standings. But a second meeting will now be held as all parties will try to find a way to accommodate all six franchises without ‘causing damage’.

‘Everyone was agreed that we must secure a solution that does not damage any of the existing franchises,’ said Saru CEO Jurie Roux. ‘It is a complex issue with no easy answers and we are determined to leave no stone unturned in finding that answer. A number of options were discussed but there is currently no preferred alternative to recommend to the general council.’

Roux added that a decision on the Super Rugby participation dilemma will be finalised with the Saru general council on 13 July.

Waratahs coach Michael Foley believes the Stormers’ imposing defence creates attacking opportunities and that the Cape side will be doubly dangerous this Saturday.

The Stormers have been widely criticised for their lack of four-try bonus points as well as the overall impotency of their attack. They have the second-worst try-scoring record in the competition (17), and it may very well impact on their final place in the Super Rugby league.

Statistically, they’re the best defensive outfit having only conceded 11 tries in 10 matches. Their physicality at the tackle has become something of a trademark, and they haven’t lost too many battles at the gainline.

This physical superiority has also created scoring opportunities albeit from the turnover, and had they been more clinical they may well have collected more tries and bonus points.

Foley pointed this out when he fronted the media in Cape Town on Thursday. There is a perception that the Stormers are not creating enough chances with ball-in-hand, a point coach Allister Coetzee countered on Wednesday by stating that poor execution rather than a lack of innovation is the problem.

Foley agreed that the Stormers are a dangerous outfit, and that their fearsome defence can lead to point-scoring opportunities.

‘I believe their attack is very shrewd,’ said Foley. ‘They’re very clever the way they build the pressure with their defensive game and then captialise on errors. It’s hardly a poor attack. We’re going to have to be consistent for 80 minutes if we’re going to deny them opportunities.’

Foley has made several changes to the pack that started against the Bulls last week. While talismanic hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau is unlikely to be back from injury, Foley is confident the visiting eight will stand up to the might of the Stormers.

‘We always thought it was going to be a difficult period playing three games in 12 days, so player rotation has come into play. A guy like Wycliff Palu is on the bench and will feature later in the game. Tatafu may miss out, but John [Ulugia] picked up some good momentum against the Bulls last week.’

The Stormers will field a new back-row combination this week after losing Nizaam Carr to injury. Carr is the fourth loose forward to be seriously injured after Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen and Nick Koster were confined to the sideline.

Siya Kolisi, Rynhardt Elstadt and Canadian Jebb Sinclair will pack down at the back of the scrum this week, but Foley said he doesn’t expect the Stormers’ set-piece challenge or in-your-face physicality to be any less brutal.

‘I’ve been hugely impressed with the way they’ve coped with injuries. Schalk is a great player and Duane is one of the most underrated players in the world. But after those guys became unavailable, the next guy stepped up and the Stormers didn’t lose any of that physicality or go-forward. It’s been a special effort.

‘Whoever controls possession will control the game, and we know what to expect at the set piece. Tiaan Liebenberg is a powerful player at the scrum and an accurate thrower at the lineout, which is something I can really respect being a former [Wallabies] hooker. His combination with Andries Bekker, who is the premier lock in South Africa at the moment, has been crucial. The Stormers have a great lineout and their mauling is another exceptional area of their game.’

Aside from the changes to the pack, Foley has also preferred scrumhalf Brendan McKibbin’s all-round skill set to the explosive running of Sarel Pretorius. Given the nature of this clash, and the fact that wet weather is forecast for Saturday’s game, Foley hopes the tactics will pay off.

‘South African teams always boast a good set piece and a good tactical kicking game. We feel that in Brendan and Berrick [Barnes] we have two strong kickers but also two strong passers. It will give us options between kicking and moving the ball,’ he said.

By Jon Cardinelli

Pat Lambie will start for the Sharks at flyhalf when they take on the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein this Saturday.

Lambie suffered a knock to the head in last week’s game against the Force, and needed to prove his fitness ahead of the clash with the Cheetahs. According to the Sharks’ website, the injury isn’t as serious as first feared and so he will continue to play a commanding role at No 10.

Louis Ludik, however, hasn’t recovered from a bicep injury and will miss the match. Riaan Viljoen will slot in at fullback as a result.

Coach John Plumtree has named five forwards on the bench, with three Springbok loose forwards featuring.

Sharks – 15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. JP Pietersen, 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Tim Whitehead, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Keegan Daniel (c), 7. Marcell Coetzee, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Anton Bresler, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Willem Alberts, 19. Jean Deysel, 20. Ryan Kankowski, 21. Frederic Michalak, 22. Meyer Bosman.

The Waratahs have made a string of changes for their clash with the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.

Brendan McKibbin and Bernard Foley start at scrumhalf and fullback respectively, while Adam Ashley-Cooper shifts to inside centre.

In the forwards, Dave Dennis starts at No 8 in place of Wycliff Palu, who plays off the wood. Sitaleki Timani and Dean Mumm pair up in the second row, with Kane Douglas dropping to the bench.

There is uncertainty about the fitness of hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau following his concussion a fortnight ago. He will be monitored this week to determine his readiness for the match.

Waratahs – 15. Bernard Foley, 14. Tom Kingston, 13. Rob Horne, 12. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 11. Atieli Pakalani, 10. Berrick Barnes, 9. Brendan McKibbin, 8. Dave Dennis, 7. Chris Alcock, 6. Rocky Elsom (c), 5. Sitaleki Timani, 4. Dean Mumm, 3. Sekope Kepu, 2. John Ulugia/Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson
Subs: 16. Josh Mann-Rea, 17. Jeremy Tilse, 18. Kane Douglas, 19. Jono Jenkins, 20. Wycliff Palu, 21. Sarel Pretorius, 22. Daniel Halangahu

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