Currie Cup | Round 2 line-ups, kick-off times, where to watch – and predictions

It may be early in the Currie Cup, but the pressure on the teams will rise significantly this weekend as the race for favourable log positions intensifies with a little over a month left before the pool stage concludes.

LOG | LATEST STANDINGS IN THE CURRIE CUP

The Pumas and Griquas will kick off the Round 2 action on Friday in Nelspruit at 19:00 in what could prove to be a gripping contest.

The action continues on Saturday with log leaders, the Bulls, hosting the Cheetahs in Pretoria at 16:30 in what marks the visitors’ opening Currie Cup clash, before all eyes switch to Ellis Park at 19:00 for the match-up between the Lions and Western Province.

The Sharks have a bye this weekend and all the action will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4

Pumas v Griquas, Nelspruit – 19:00

Pumas

15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Luther Obi, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Devon Williams, 9 Ginter Smuts, 8 Willim Engelbrecht, 7 Darrien Landsberg, 6 Phumzile Maqondwana, 5 Pieter Jansen van Vuren (captain), 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Dewald Maritz

Substitutes: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Ignatius Prinsloo, 18 Brandon Valentyn, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Chriswill September, 21 Tiaan Botes, 22 Wayne van Bank, 23 Liam Hendriks

Griquas

15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Johnathan Francke, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Zak Burger (captain), 8 Johan Momsen, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Cyril Velleman, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Adre Smith, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 Hendrick Luus, 1 Nqobisizwe Mxoli

Substitutes: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Andrew Beerwinkel, 18 John-Roy Jenkinson, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Carl Els, 21 Theo Maree, 22 Andre Swarts, 23 Enver Brandt, 24 Zandre Jordaan, 25 Ewan Coetzee, 26 Ashlon Davids

Referee: Stuart Berry

Prediction: Tight match in store, difficult to call … Griquas by 3 points

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5

Bulls v Cheetahs, Pretoria – 16:30

Bulls

15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 David Kriel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp

Substitutes: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marnus Potgieter

Cheetahs

15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rhyno Smith, 13 Howard Mnisi, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Victor Sekekete, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Kutha Mchunu, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Boan Venter

Substitutes: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Erich de Jager, 19 Chris Massyn, 20 George Cronje, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 William Small-Smith

Referee: Jaco Peyper

Prediction: Should be an entertaining match, but no stopping the Bulls machine … home side by 9 points.

Lions v Western Province, Johannesburg – 19:00

Lions

15 Tiaan Swanepoel, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies (captain), 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sti Sithole

Substitutes: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Reinhard Nothnagel, 20 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 21 Roelof Smit, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Dan Kriel

Western Province

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes (from): 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Johan du Toit, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Tristan Leyds, 24 Jaco Coetzee, 25 Kade Wolhuter, 26 Rikus Pretorius

Referee: Griffin Colby

Prediction: Match of the weekend. WP need a win badly … and they get one, by 4 points

BYE: Sharks