After two rounds we will get more of a picture of how the season may pan out. Some are after redemption, others are looking to continue with the momentum gained in the first round.
Highlanders V Crusaders
The good news for the Crusaders is that they probably can’t play any worse than they did in their opening loss to the Rebels. Their error count was through the roof in a listless display. They have made five changes to the starting side including the return of Israel Dagg while Colin Slade is at 10 with Dan Carter sidelined with a leg injury.
Hard to get a read on the Highlanders who will have seven debutants in the squad for their first outing of the season. It may take the Crusaders another week to get up to pace with the Highlanders to benefit.
Prediction
Crusaders are notorious slow starters, and the Highlanders are playing at home. The bookies have the Crusaders as favourites, but I’m going to tip those from the south in a bruising encounter. Highladers by 4.
HIGHLANDERS: Ben Smith (co-capt), Waisake Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Shaun Treeby, Patrick Osborne, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Nasi Manu (co-capt), John Hardie, Elliot Dixon, Joe Wheeler, Tom Franklin, Ross Geldenhuys, Liam Coltman, Josh Hohneck.
Reserves: Ash Dixon, Kane Hames, Ma’afu Fia, Mark Reddish, Dan Pryor, Fumiaki Tanaka, Jason Emery, Marty Banks.
CRUSADERS: Israel Dagg, Robbie Fruean, Kieron Fonotia, Ryan Crotty, Johnny McNicholl, Colin Slade, Mitchell Drummond, Luke Whitelock, Matt Todd (capt), Richie McCaw, Scott Barrett, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett.
Reserves: Codie Taylor, Joe Moody, Nepo Laulala, Dominic Bird, Jordan Taufua, Billy Guyton, Tom Taylor, Nafi Tuitavake.
Reds V Force
All eyes will be on Reds five-eighth James O’Connor, who makes his first appearance of the season along with fellow big name recruit Adam Thomson. Queensland will be hoping the former golden boy can spark the attack, which was put under immense pressure in their drubbing by the Brumbies.
But the Force are flying high after putting the defending champion Waratahs to the sword in Sydney. They showed plenty in attack against NSW, scoring four tries, and they haven’t lost to the Reds in their last five matches. That could be extended to six.
Getting my weather girl on
This game is no certainty to go ahead, severe tropical cyclone Marcia is baring down the eastern coast line of Australia, and is expected to hit Brisbane right around kick-off on Saturday night. A call on whether or not the game will go ahead will be made at 8am local time in Brisbane (+10 GMT).
Prediction
Recent developments in regards to Karmichael Hunt, the Reds challenge is not only to shake off last week’s thrashing at the hands of the Brumbies, but also to get concerns about their vice-captain out of their heads.
On the other hand the Reds can only play better than they did last week, but the wet weather will play into the hands of the Force, who like to play a tight, forward dominated game. Force by 8.
REDS: James Slipper (capt), Saia Fainga’a, Sam Talakai, Marco Kotze, James Horwill, Adam Thomson, Liam Gill, Jake Schatz, Will Genia, James OConnor, Lachie Turner, Samu Kerevi, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Chris Kuridrani, 15 TBA (likey to be JJ Tuilagi).
Reserves: James Hanson, Ben Daley, Sef Faagase, Tom Murday, Curtis Browning, Nick Frisby, Sam Johnson, Campbell Magnay.
FORCE: Zack Holmes, Luke Morahan, Kyle Godwin, Junior Rasolea, Marcel Brache, Sias Ebersohn, Alby Mathewson, Ben McCalman, Chris Alcock, Angus Cottrell, Adam Coleman, Sam Wykes (capt), Tetera Faulkner, Nathan Charles, Francois van Wyk.
Reserves: Heath Tessmann, Chris Heiberg, Oliver Hoskins, Steve Mafi, Brynard Stander, Ian Prior, Luke Burton, Mitchell Scott.
Stormers V Blues
It’s danger time for the Blues, as they head to the Republic for two weeks after losing their season opener at home against the Chiefs. And it won’t be a toothless Stormers outfit awaiting them either. The men from Cape Town knocked over the much-hyped Bulls last week to get their season off to a flyer.
Springbok and Stormers prop Frans Malherbe makes his return from injury, while Test flanker Siya Kolisi and winger Kobus van Wyk may also make their returns. The Blues have an exciting backline, but they failed to fire last week, and the side conceded more clean breaks, metres and offloads than any team in the comp.
Prediction
The Blues will have it tough in Cape Town. If the Stormers perform the same way they did against the the Bulls last week, the Blues will be up against it. The bookies have the Stormers as a heavy favourite, and so do I. Stormers by 12.
STORMERS: Cheslin Kolbe, Johnny Kotze, Juan de Jongh, Damian de Allende, Dillyn Leyds, Demetri Catrakilis, Nic Groom, Duane Vermeulen (capt), Michael Rhodes, Rynhardt Elstadt, Ruan Botha, Jurie van Vuuren, Vincent Koch, Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff. Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi, Oli Kebble, Wilco Louw, Siya Kolisi, Nizaam Carr, Louis Schreuder, Kurt Coleman, Huw Jones
BLUES: Charles Piutau, Ben Lam, Hamish Northcott, Francis Saili, Tevita Li, Ihaia West, Jimmy Cowan, Jerome Kaino (capt), Brendon O’Connor, Steven Luatua, Hayden Triggs, Josh Bekhuis, Angus Ta’avao, James Parsons, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Matt Moulds, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu, Luke Braid, Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Bowden, Lolagi Visinia.
Sharks v Lions
The Lions came into 2015 with their typical promising signs of change, but in round one they once again failed to back it up with a loss to the Hurricanes. On the other hand the Sharks – who finished third last year – fell to South Africa’s least favoured team the Cheetahs.
However they finished very strongly and it was only a knock-on over the tryline in the 79th minute that cost them a win, so expect the Sharks to dust themselves off and bounce back here. That said, if they do fall to their perennial underachieving countrymen there will be a lot of worried Sharks fans. And rightly so.
Prediction
On paper, you’d have the Sharks in an easy one, but the boot of Marnitz Boshoff may change that. The Lions will have to work for a full 80 in defence to stand a chance. Sharks by 18.
SHARKS: SP Marais, Odwa Ndungane, Waylon Murray, Heimar Williams, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Tera Mtembu, Renaldo Bothma, Marcell Coetzee, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Lubabalo Mtyanda, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis (capt), Dale Chadwick.
Reserves:Kyle Cooper, Thomas du Toit, Matt Stevens, Marco Wentzel, Jean Deysel, Conrad Hoffmann, Fred Zeilinga, Andre Esterhuizen.
LIONS: Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe, Howard Mnisi, Courtnall Skosan, Marnitz Boshoff, Ross Cronje, Warren Whiteley (capt), Warwick Tecklenburg, Derick Minnie, Franco Mostert, Martin Muller, Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Jacques van Rooyen.
Reserves: Robbie Coetzee, Schalk van der Merwe, Julian Redelinghuys, JP du Preez, Ruaan Lerm, Faf de Klerk, Elton Jantjies, Harold Vorster