Super 15: Lions vs Hurricanes. Coca-Cola Park (2/3/2012, 17:10 GMT)

[Darwin]

Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg (2/3/2012, 17:10 GMT)

Referee: Steve Walsh
AR1: Lourens VD Merwe
AR2: Ben Crouse
TMO: Shaun Veldsman​

 

[nickdnz]

One of the few matches the Hurricanes have a shot of winning. I'll back them to win this match. If they lose, I can't see them avoiding the bottom of the table.

 

[Dizzy]

Well, from being a very inexperienced side and putting up a good fight against a well established squad like the Stormers, I'd say the Canes have this match in the bag.

 

[FlukeArtist]

Well, its a dangerous thing assuming you'll beat any SA side in SA.

In saying that, I reckon this game is a coin toss

 

[Darwin]

Really not sure who to pick in this match. The Canes looked better than expected in patches versus the Stormers, but will need to improve their work up front this week. I would be tempted to pick the Lions because of their home ground advantage, but if I remember correctly none of their three wins last season were at home (though they did win there in the weekend vs the Cheetahs).

No idea what the Hurricanes can do to fix their scrum - I think they will have to stick with Moran and May as their props, as the alternatives (Toomaga-Allen and Bent) aren't any better. I think they need to start Broadhurst at lock (not sure whether I would pair him with Eaton or Thrush), and I think Shields needs to be given a start at 6 in place of Levave, as Shields looked good when he came vs the Stormers. The only change I'd look at making in the backline is Savea for Leiua.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Whatever happened with the white card shown for the 'Canes player who tripped up Habana? It was a lock but I can't remember which one. Andries Strauss got 2 weeks off with his white card. It would be the same judiciary S14/15 farce all over again if a ref indicated a white card for an offence and nothing came of it.

I can't pick a winner for this match. If Van Heerden were fit I'd be tempted to go with the Lions as I feel most of the points the Hurricanes scored against us came against the run of play and some silly penalties. With Van Heerden out injured they really lost their biggest workhorse and with Jantjies known for blowing hot and cold WRT goal kicking... I'm leaning towards the Hurricanes on this one. That said I bet against the Lions in the 1st round as well and I wish any SA team luck against foreign teams on their home turf. At least until the closing stages when I'd want everything to go the Stormers' way LOL.

 

[SomeOke]

The lions are a cute little outfit, but the reality is the worst NZ team is still better than the worst SA team, especially this year. Anything can happen in rugby but the Hurricanes have got to be favourites, home or not.

 

[Darwin]

Whatever happened with the white card shown for the 'Canes player who tripped up Habana? It was a lock but I can't remember which one. Andries Strauss got 2 weeks off with his white card. It would be the same judiciary S14/15 farce all over again if a ref indicated a white card for an offence and nothing came of it.

I can't pick a winner for this match. If Van Heerden were fit I'd be tempted to go with the Lions as I feel most of the points the Hurricanes scored against us came against the run of play and some silly penalties. With Van Heerden out injured they really lost their biggest workhorse and with Jantjies known for blowing hot and cold WRT goal kicking... I'm leaning towards the Hurricanes on this one. That said I bet against the Lions in the 1st round as well and I wish any SA team luck against foreign teams on their home turf. At least until the closing stages when I'd want everything to go the Stormers' way LOL.

It was Jeremy Thrush. Haven't heard what has happened to him yet.

Some more bad news for the Canes, with halfback Chris Smylie (who missed the tour with injury) officially ruled out of the entire Super Rugby season after getting surgery on his pectoral muscle (replaced in the squad by WTG member Frae Wilson).

 

[Icemn]

lions has got Al Black coaching in Mitchell and Spencer... don't underestimate them... the stormers underestimated the canes and looked what almost happened

i'm still going to back my team, but it's going be close!!

 

[Icemn]

It was Jeremy Thrush. Haven't heard what has happened to him yet.

Some more bad news for the Canes, with halfback Chris Smylie (who missed the tour with injury) officially ruled out of the entire Super Rugby season after getting surgery on his pectoral muscle (replaced in the squad by WTG member Frae Wilson).

it wasn't a trip!!! Banana fell over his own feet, the useless idiot lol, i was right there and saw everything....from my couch

 

[TRF_heineken]

Hmmmm....

I'm picking the Lions to win this one... Jantjes vs Barrett will be a good match... But I think the Lions will have the upper hand over the canes in the forwards.

 

[Gena_ZA]

If the Lions want to grow as a team, based on all the good signs they showed since the Currie Cup last year, they simply have to take this one.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

It was Jeremy Thrush. Haven't heard what has happened to him yet.

Some more bad news for the Canes, with halfback Chris Smylie (who missed the tour with injury) officially ruled out of the entire Super Rugby season after getting surgery on his pectoral muscle (replaced in the squad by WTG member Frae Wilson).

That's sad to hear. If I remember correctly Smylie looked like a decent halfback and I would assume the All Black's 9 jersey is up for grabs at this stage.


Though this is probably two teams that will both end up in the bottom third on the log it's probably gonna be very close (as a contest at least if not necessarily on the scoreboard) and could actually be a very attractive game as I think both teams will be looking to play some attractive rugby. It depends on which team has the most luck on the night I suppose.

 

[Icemn]

That's sad to hear. If I remember correctly Smylie looked like a decent halfback and I would assume the All Black's 9 jersey is up for grabs at this stage.

currently, my no9 AB jersey will go to Leonard... but he is injured too then Weepu aka January...

 

[Darwin]

That's sad to hear. If I remember correctly Smylie looked like a decent halfback and I would assume the All Black's 9 jersey is up for grabs at this stage.


Though this is probably two teams that will both end up in the bottom third on the log it's probably gonna be very close (as a contest at least if not necessarily on the scoreboard) and could actually be a very attractive game as I think both teams will be looking to play some attractive rugby. It depends on which team has the most luck on the night I suppose.

I'm not a big fan of Smylie personally - he looked like a genuine AB's contender 4-5 years ago (while at Otago ), but seemed to have regressed since then. Like many NZ halfbacks he is a very good ball runner - he is very fast, can step and is deceptively strong, but his distribution is pretty poor. In saying that I think he is still a better player than Chris Eaton (so would probably have been the Canes 1st choice halfback this year), so he is certainly a loss for the Canes.

In terms of the AB's 9 jersey, I hate to say it but Andy Ellis looks in the best position to take that jersey at this early stage - Weepu needs to get fit, Mathewson needs to develop a kicking game, Leonard needs to recover from injury, Cowan needs to stop being the worst player on the park, Aaron Smith needs to be given game-time, Kerr-Barlow needs to stop trying to win the game himself every time he gets the ball.....

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I'm not a big fan of Smylie personally - he looked like a genuine AB's contender 4-5 years ago (while at Otago ), but seemed to have regressed since then. Like many NZ halfbacks he is a very good ball runner - he is very fast, can step and is deceptively strong, but his distribution is pretty poor. In saying that I think he is still a better player than Chris Eaton (so would probably have been the Canes 1st choice halfback this year), so he is certainly a loss for the Canes.

In terms of the AB's 9 jersey, I hate to say it but Andy Ellis looks in the best position to take that jersey at this early stage - Weepu needs to get fit, Mathewson needs to develop a kicking game, Leonard needs to recover from injury, Cowan needs to stop being the worst player on the park, Aaron Smith needs to be given game-time, Kerr-Barlow needs to stop trying to win the game himself every time he gets the ball.....

If Smylie's been around that long then I'm probably confusing him with someone else. Yeah, I thought Ellis looked the sharpest of the NZ 9's I saw 1st round. Still a ways off so plenty of time for someone to put up their hand.


In the meantime the GL's have named their matchday 22 refreshingly early. I think that's a great move by Mitchell as it can only help instill confidence in the players along with the narrow win over the Cheetahs.

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Strauss-switches-to-flank-20120228

15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Doppies la Grange, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Joshua Strauss (captain), 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg

Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Marius Coetzer/Hendrik Roodt, 19 Cobus Grobbelaar, 20 Tian Meyer, 21 Butch James, 22 James Kamana / Lionel Mapoe

Other than replacing the injured Van Heerden Warren Whitely comes in at 8 after having a good impact off the bench and forces veteran Grobbelaar to the bench. He'll certainly help with generating go-forward ball and I hope to see him put in a few driving tackles to put the Hurricanes under pressure. Strangely solid looking starting XV with the exception of Greeff who is an unknown to me with Wicus van Heerden injured. These guys have come a ways together and this game will be an important one. Win it and the 2 in a row might just be the confidence boost they need to go further. That said, it'll get much tougher than facing the Cheetahs and Hurricanes at home in this competition.

The Lions' chances IMO revolve around if Jantjies stays on form and if the pack can continue to play as a tight unit.

 

[Darwin]

Looking through that Lions team gives me more confidence in a Hurricanes win..... though that may simply be due to my lack of knowledge of South African rugby!

The Hurricanes biggest weakness is in the front-row, and I'm not sure whether Lions have the front-row to exploit this (it may be slightly better than the Canes, but not that much better in my opinion). The Lions look to have a reasonable loose-forward trio, but so to do the Canes. As you mention, a lot of the Lions chances depend on how Jantjies goes at 10, and his battle with Barrett will be interesting. I will have to wait until the Hurricanes have named their line-up before I make any prediction on this game..

 

[Darwin]

vBookie: Lions vs Hurricanes

vBookie added


EDIT:

Hurricanes team named - no changes from last weeks team:
Andre Taylor, Alapati Leiua, Conrad Smith (c), Tim Bateman, Cory Jane, Beauden Barrett, Chris Eaton, Victor Vito, Jack Lam, Faifili Levave, Jason Eaton, Jeremy Thrush, Ben May, Dane Coles, Tristan Moran.
Reserves: Motu Matu'u, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, James Broadhurst, Brad Shields, TJ Perenara, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Charlie Ngatai.

 

[SelimNiai]

Steve Walsh is in charge

Plus I'm not a fan of the 'Canes' "British December Day" Grey away kit

 

[TNT88]

The Lions tighthead prop seems to be binding on the arm and causing trouble every scrum. Will be interesting to see if Walsh catches on (I think he will).

Great first try, got to love the Lions set piece moves.