Planet Rugby Forum

Saturday, 10 March @ 17h15 SAST (15h15 GMT | 04:15 NZT Sunday)

Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg



Capacity: 62,567

Weather:

Temp: 22° C
Rain: 36%
Wind 14 kmh NNW

Betting odds:
Lions (1.4) 2/5
Blues (3.8 ) 14/4
Handicap: Lions -8

Lions:




Log position: 1
SA Conference position: 1
Wins: 3 from 3
Finish 2017: Runners up

Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ashlon Davids, 22 Harold Vorster, 23 Hacjivah Dayimani.

Blues:





Log position: 13
NZ Conference: 5
Wins: 0 from 2
Finish 2017: 9th

Blues: Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, Rieko Ioane, Sonny Bill Williams, Melani Nanai, Bryn Gatland, Sam Nock, Akira Ioane, Antonio Kiri Kiri, Jerome Kaino, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, James Parsons (c), Alex Hodgman.
Reserves: Ross Wright, Pauliasi Manu, Michael Tamoaieta, Scott Scrafton, Jimmy Tupou, Murphy Taramai, Jonathan Ruru, Stephen Perofeta.

Officials:
Referee: Nic Berry (Oz)
AR1: AJ Jacobs (SA)
AR2: Jaco Pretorius (SA)
TMO: Willie Vos (SA)

History:

Played: 10
Lions: 4
Blues: 6


In Johannesburg:

Played: 6
Lions: 3
Blues: 3

Last matches:
2016 Lions v Blues 43-5 - Johannesburg
2015 Blues v Lions 10-13 - Albany
2014 Lions v Blues 39-36 - Johannesburg
2012 Blues v Lions 25-3 - Auckland
2011 Lions v Blues 32-41 - Johannesburg

Bad has become worse for the beleaguered Blues with confirmation their skipper and scrumhalf Augustine Pulu has been forced out of their two-match tour to South Africa.
According to the Stuff website, the 28-year-old two-Test All Black injured his foot in Friday's 27-21 defeat to the Chiefs at Eden Park that put the Blues into an early 0-2 hole for the new Super Rugby season.

Pulu's absence will leave the vastly less experienced Sam Nock and Jonathan Ruru to share No 9 duties in clashes against the Lions and Stormers.

Meanwhile, there was some welcome good news for under-pressure coach Tana Umaga with All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams, who missed the Chiefs match with knee and head knocks, training fully and confirming his participation.

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRu ... e-20180304

Go for it Lions

Lions should walk this. Great opening schedule for the Lions, hope they take advantage of the first few weeks.

When will Kriel be fit?

Tana Umaga and his beleaguered Blues simply can't take a trick.

They were set to fly to Johannesburg via Sydney on Sunday ahead of their two-game South African Super Rugby sojourn, but were grounded in Auckland for 24 hours due to engineering issues with their plane.

The Blues were finally able to leave on Monday, which has forced their training schedule to be amended leading into Sunday's (NZ time) clash with the Lions, last year's beaten finalists, at Ellis Park.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/101 ... ane-issues

Mr. White wrote:When will Kriel be fit?

They said by about the 4th week, so maybe this weekend

Kwagga Smith likely to play?

I'm a Blues fan but... If the Lions don't win this then they'll be ridiculed.

WoodlandsRFC wrote:Kwagga Smith likely to play?

Yes. If Kriel does play he'll probably come off the bench after his long lay-off. More probably Kriel will only play against the Sunwolves next week

Betting odds:
Lions (1.4) 2/5
Blues (3.8 ) 14/4
Handicap: Lions -8

Jensrsa wrote:Betting odds:
Lions (1.4) 2/5
Blues (3.8 ) 14/4
Handicap: Lions -80

Fixed that for you.

I have hope that the rain will save the Blues from being totally obliterated and they'll only lose by 30.

Could you explain what the two sets of odds numbers mean and how the equate to each other please? Like how much one pays and how much one receives in this case, 1.4 2/5. I can't make head nor tail of it.

usermame wrote:Could you explain what the two sets of odds numbers mean and how the equate to each other please? Like how much one pays and how much one receives in this case, 1.4 2/5. I can't make head nor tail of it.

They are essentially the same, the one being decimal and the other fractional

1.4 means you get 1.40 back for every 1 you bet (including your stake)

2/5 means you get 2 (plus your stake) back for every 5 you bet

Sorted, thank you.

Referee: Nic Berry (Oz)
AR1: AJ Jacobs (SA)
AR2: Jaco Pretorius (SA)
TMO: Willie Vos (SA)

Jensrsa wrote:

Mr. White wrote:When will Kriel be fit?

They said by about the 4th week, so maybe this weekend

Kriel goooooooooooooooone.

Johannesburg - The Lions have received a blow with the news that Springbok Jaco Kriel will have to have another operation.

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRu ... n-20180307

Mr. White wrote:

Jensrsa wrote:

Mr. White wrote:When will Kriel be fit?

They said by about the 4th week, so maybe this weekend

Kriel goooooooooooooooone.

Johannesburg - The Lions have received a blow with the news that Springbok Jaco Kriel will have to have another operation.

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRu ... n-20180307

Shiiit! We have enough loosies but he just brings another dimension to the Lions' game

Out of June Bok contention as well now?

saffer13 wrote:Out of June Bok contention as well now?

Probably

Mr. White wrote:

Jensrsa wrote:

Mr. White wrote:When will Kriel be fit?

They said by about the 4th week, so maybe this weekend

Kriel goooooooooooooooone.

Johannesburg - The Lions have received a blow with the news that Springbok Jaco Kriel will have to have another operation.

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRu ... n-20180307

He's always injured. My question - he was due to start playing in a week or 2, why are they only now picking up that the 1st op wasn't a success?

Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ashlon Davids, 22 Harold Vorster, 23 Hacjivah Dayimani.

Ashlon Davids possibly getting his first run with Hacjivah Dayimani possibly coming on as wing

Jensrsa wrote:Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ashlon Davids, 22 Harold Vorster, 23 Hacjivah Dayimani.

Ashlon Davids possibly getting his first run with Hacjivah Dayimani possibly coming on as wing

I hope Elton passes a lot more to Mapoe so he can get some ball

Sards wrote:

Jensrsa wrote:Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ashlon Davids, 22 Harold Vorster, 23 Hacjivah Dayimani.

Ashlon Davids possibly getting his first run with Hacjivah Dayimani possibly coming on as wing

I hope Elton passes a lot more to Mapoe so he can get some ball

It depend on what game plan Swys wants the Lions to play

Trivia:

- The Lions have won their last three games against the Blues, though they were defeated in their seven meetings prior.
- The Lions have won four of their last six games against New Zealand opposition.
- The Blues have won only one of their last 10 games in South Africa, letting two half-time leads slip in that period.
- The Lions have scored eight tries on the back of a lineout win this season. Only three other teams in the competition has scored more than eight tries overall (Crusaders, Rebels, Stormers).
- Melani Nanai has an average gain of 12m per carry this season, the best of any player (minimum 10 carries)

Blues: Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, Rieko Ioane, Sonny Bill Williams, Melani Nanai, Bryn Gatland, Sam Nock, Akira Ioane, Antonio Kiri Kiri, Jerome Kaino, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, James Parsons (c), Alex Hodgman.
Reserves: Ross Wright, Pauliasi Manu, Michael Tamoaieta, Scott Scrafton, Jimmy Tupou, Murphy Taramai, Jonathan Ruru, Stephen Perofeta.

Jensrsa wrote:

Sards wrote:

Jensrsa wrote:Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ashlon Davids, 22 Harold Vorster, 23 Hacjivah Dayimani.

Ashlon Davids possibly getting his first run with Hacjivah Dayimani possibly coming on as wing

I hope Elton passes a lot more to Mapoe so he can get some ball

It depend on what game plan Swys wants the Lions to play

Don't entertain him Jens. It's a "not so subtle" troll on RjvR. Sards keeps banging the AE drum any chance he gets.

This is a huge game for the Blues, they need to win or it is season over basically, but I just don't see enough brainpower in that team on the evidence of the end of last weeks game against the Chiefs. Good call by Tana to drop Moala though and put Ioane into centre, where he played at school. Moala blew a try last week and I just think he makes poor decisions at critical times. Needs to fvck of to the NH.

Lions will win unless they think the game is won before they get on the field.

les@mooloolaba wrote:This is a huge game for the Blues, they need to win or it is season over basically, but I just don't see enough brainpower in that team on the evidence of the end of last weeks game against the Chiefs. Good call by Tana to drop Moala though and put Ioane into centre, where he played at school. Moala blew a try last week and I just think he makes poor decisions at critical times. Needs to fvck of to the NH.

Lions will win unless they think the game is won before they get on the field.

Doesn't Ioane mainly play 13 for Auckland? It's definitely not an unfamiliar position for him and apparently his preferred position according to an article I read a while ago.

Going to be a tough game, I think, and a doubt that the Lions will underestimate the Blues

Edit:

Rieko Ioane says his outstanding year on the All Blacks wing hasn't dulled the desire to be a world class test centre.

The 20-year-old world breakthrough player of the year award winner, wants to return to the position he made his own at schoolboy and representative age group level.

Injury problems among the All Blacks' back three personnel and a drop in form from Julian Savea made it an obvious solution to play Ioane on the left wing throughout the year.

However, he told NZ Newswire he ultimately wants to return to centre.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/ar ... d=11948602

Predictable side.

Rieko didn't get enough ball on the wing - when he ended the game at centre last week he got more touches.

With our top 3 opensides injured, Kiri Kiri is about as good as we can do there.

Kaino to start - easy decision.

Nock sucks - but throwing Ruru to the Lions on debut would have been a tough ask...

Nice to see Perofeta on the bench.

All in all, about as good as a side as we can put out right now - but they'll still get minced. The Lions are in a different class.

Marshall Banana wrote:Predictable side.

Rieko didn't get enough ball on the wing - when he ended the game at centre last week he got more touches.

With our top 3 opensides injured, Kiri Kiri is about as good as we can do there.

Kaino to start - easy decision.

Nock sucks - but throwing Ruru to the Lions on debut would have been a tough ask...

Nice to see Perofeta on the bench.

All in all, about as good as a side as we can put out right now - but they'll still get minced. The Lions are in a different class.

Seems very much a mixture of stars, youngsters and journeymen (or journeymen rookies) with quite a bit of inexperience in key positions

Jensrsa wrote:Meanwhile, there was some welcome good news for under-pressure coach Tana Umaga with All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams, who missed the Chiefs match with knee and head knocks, training fully and confirming his participation.

very good of the Proteas to offer him tickets to the Port Elizabeth match.

Mr Mike wrote:

Jensrsa wrote:Meanwhile, there was some welcome good news for under-pressure coach Tana Umaga with All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams, who missed the Chiefs match with knee and head knocks, training fully and confirming his participation.

very good of the Proteas to offer him tickets to the Port Elizabeth match.

BLUES: Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, Rieko Ioane, Sonny Bill Williams, Melani Nanai, Bryn Gatland, Sam Nock, Akira Ioane, Antonio Kiri Kiri, Jerome Kaino, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, James Parsons (c), Alex Hodgman. RESERVES: Ross Wright, Pauliasi Manu, Michael Tamoaieta, Scott Scrafton, Jimmy Tupou, Murphy Taramai, Jonathan Ruru, Stephen Perofeta

If the lions don't win by 50, I am claiming a moral victory

Curtain raiser: SSRC Golden Lions vs Blue Bulls

Golden Lions: Eddie Fouché; Madosha Tambwe (6), Wayne van der Bank, Howard Mnisi (34), Selom Gavor; Shaun Reynolds (1), Marco Jansen van Vuren (2); Len Massyn, Willie Engelbrecht, Marnus Schoeman (2), Jaco Willemse, Robert Kruger (30), Johannes Jonker (16), Corné Fourie (55), Sti Sithole (1). Reserwes: Pieter Jansen, Stephen Bhasera, Niell Bezuidenhout, PJ Steenkamp, Phumzile Maqondwana, Pikkie de Villiers, Christiaan Meyer, Siyabonga Masuku, Wandisile Simelane, Manuel Rass, Gianni Lombard

Um, I believe the Stormers are ahead of the Sharks....if oomPB can be believed.

What happened to Moala? Injured or dropped? I hope he has been dropped.

Auckman wrote:What happened to Moala? Injured or dropped? I hope he has been dropped.

That hooker was also dropped, I hope. Crooked throw on an unchallenged lineout should have resulted in a sock party!

Deadtigers wrote:

Auckman wrote:What happened to Moala? Injured or dropped? I hope he has been dropped.

That hooker was also dropped, I hope. Crooked throw on an unchallenged lineout should have resulted in a sock party!

Leni Apisai. Yep, he has been drop-kicked right out of the side this week. Good. He's a newbie but that howler at the end of the match last week deserved a dropping. Replaced with another noob, Ross Wright.