Bulls, defending Currie Cup champions will be hoping to improve their position on the log standings from third when they host the second-placed Sharks in a replay of the last two finals in Pretoria on Wednesday night as teams resume action in South Africa’s premier domestic rugby competition.https://www.betxchange.com/#/rugby/rugbyunion/curriecup/All
The match at Loftus will be preceded by two other clashes on a full day of midweek action with the Griquas hosting the Lions in Kimberley and struggling estern Province taking on high-flying Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Griquas VS Lions
The home side will once again look to the kicking exploits of Zander du Plessis when they welcome the men from Johannesburg to Tafel Lager Park in this match that has potential to excite.
The Griquas will be looking to bounce back after they lost to the Bulls in their last match about two weeks ago.
The Lions will know better than anyone that it is never easy to play Griquas on their home turf in Kimberley and they will have to be at their best to be able to return home with a favourabe result.
Last year, the Lions edged the Griquas by 45-42 in a superb match in Kimberley after they lost at home to the men from the Northern Cape (31-41).
Pick: Griquas Wins by 3.10 at BetXchange
Cheetahs VS Western Province
The Cheetahs have named vastly experienced Springboks in the form of Frans Steyn and Ruan Pienaar, who haven influential for the side in the competition so far.
The Cheetahs, who have won all their four matches, are slight favourites to get the better of this struggling Western Province side that is on a run of three successive losses and are currently fifth on the log with one win from their four encounters.
The two teams managed to win a game apiece during last year’s regular fixtures, with the Cheetahs taking the spoils 38-21 in Bloemfontein while Western Province edged the white jerseys 40-39 in a thriller in Cape Town.
While the Free Staters have managed to win all four of their 2022 matches to date, including a hugely significant away win over the Bulls, the Cape side could only manage to beat the last-placed Lions for their only win in four games.
Pienaar, still as lively as ever in the No 9 jersey for the Free State side, sits second on the top-scorers list (with 43 points) behind Griquas’ kicking machine Zander du Plessis (70 points).
Pick: Cheetahs Wins by 1/7 at BetXchange
Bulls VS Sharks
Bulls coach Gert Smal has made a number of changes to the team that made a successful trip to Kimberley more than a week ago where they claimed an important 27-53 win against Griquas.
Cyle Brink will make a return to the Bulls side after recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained in the opening match of the Currie Cup season to start in the No6 jersey alongside loose trio partners Arno Botha and WJ Steenkamp.
Kowie Roos, who made his Bulls and Currie Cup debut off the bench in Kimberley, has earned himself a starting berth at tighthead prop where he will buckle down alongside Lizo Gqoboka at loosehead prop and hooker Schalk Erasmus.
Morne Steyn will earn a starting berth at flyhalf where he will form a halfback pairing with Keagan Johannes who will start at No9.
For the Sharks, Sharks coach Etienne Fynn has made a number of changes to the team that defeated the Pumas in the team’s most recent match.
There’s a new lock partnership with Emile van Heerden and Hyron Andrews taking over from Le Roux Roets and Reniel Hugo.
There is also a new halfback pairing as Cameron Wright takes over from Sanele Nohamba at scrumhalf while Tito Bonilla starts at flyhalf.
With Ward not involved, Marnus Potgieter shifts to centre and Curwin Gertse gets a start on the wing.
Pick: Bulls Wins by 1/4 at BetXchange
