The Sharks host the Bulls in the first of two South African derby matches in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday and the home side come into the game with plenty of momentum.
Sharks v Bulls, Saturday 31st December, Durban, KO 16:45 (South African time)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (South Africa, Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Weather Forecast – Durban
Sharks:
The Sharks have home advantage in an SA derby for the second successive round. Last time out they were 11.5 point favourites for the visit of the Lions and they came through with a 37-10 victory. The Sharks scored 5 tries to 1 including a brace from Makazole Mapimpi to land a bonus point and continue their vast improvement since Neil Powell took over as coach.
Prior to that the Sharks made an excellent start to their Heineken Champions Cup campaign, seeing off Harlequins 39-31 in Durban in the opening round and next time out they were 19-16 victors away to Union Bordeaux Begles in France.
Back to the URC and the Sharks now have 5 wins and 3 defeats against their name and with 24 log points they are now in seventh spot with at least 1 game in hand on all the teams above them.
In one earlier SA derby match this season the Sharks went down 40-27 away to the Bulls in Round 7. Last season the Sharks beat the Bulls 30-16 in Durban and 29-22 in Pretoria during the regular season but when the teams met at Loftus in the play offs the Bulls edged it 30-27.
In the outright betting to win the tournament the Sharks are now 10/1 shots.
Bulls:
The Bulls were also in SA derby action last weekend. They were in Cape Town looking for revenge on the Stormers but the 4.5 point start they were given on the handicap was not enough as they went down 37-27. It was 13-13 at the break but the Bulls conceded 3 tries early in the second half and there was no way back.
The Bulls had also been in Heineken Cup action earlier this month and they opted to use the depth of their squad for their first 2 matches, leaving a number of first choices out with rotation in mind. They started that tournament with a 42-36 home win over Lyon but were then well beaten away to Exeter, 44-14.
The Bulls now have a URC record of 7 wins and 3 defeats and they are in fourth spot, 5 points behind the Stormers who are second having played 1 game fewer and although the Bulls are 10 points clear of the Sharks they have played 2 games more than the KZN side.
Aside from the defeat to the Stormers last week and the Round 7 win over the Sharks the Bulls were 31-15 winners away to the Lions in the opening round of matches.
In the outright betting to win the tournament the Bulls are 10/1 shots.
Team News
Sharks: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Marnus Potgieter, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nché.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Phendulani Buthelezi, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Yaw Penxe.
Bulls: 1 Simphiwe Matanzima, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 3 Mornay Smith, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 6 Marco Van Staden, 7 Cyle Brink, 8 Elrigh Louw, 9 Bernard van der Linde, 10 Chris Smith, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12 Harold Vorster, 13 Cornal Hendricks, 14 Canan Moodie, 15 Johan Goosen
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Sebastian Lombard, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Lionel Mapoe, 23 David Kriel.
The Betting - Risk Free First Bet Up to R2,000 back if you don't win
Sharks -5.5 points at 9/10
Bulls +6.5 points at 9/10
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change.
Betting Angle
The Sharks are carrying some real momentum and have welcomed a few of their big guns back into the mix. As a punter I tend to be nervous of backing the Sharks on the handicap but I am not convinced the Bulls are a in a great place mentally at the moment and am backing the Sharks to continue their form under new management.
There are no total points lines at the time of writing and I will post any bets in this market in the forum thread. I note there has been rain in Durban today (Friday) and there is some forecast for tomorrow.
Bet: 4 units Sharks -5.5 at 9/10 at WSB
Note, odds quoted are available at the time of writing but are subject to change.
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