The headline Round 2 Currie Cup clash will see the Sharks tackle the Bulls on Saturday the 25th of August.
The Sharks will get their 2018 Currie campaign underway against an impressive Blue Bulls outfit this coming Saturday. This will be a real acid test for the Natalian’s who will be looking to put the ghosts of their 2017 finals defeat to Western Province behind them.
Sharks XV v Blue Bulls
Saturday 25 August
Jonsson King’s Park Stadium
15:00
To Win (80 Mins)
Sharks 4/10
Draw 20/1
Bulls 19/10
Handicap *
Sharks (-6) 9/10
Bulls (+6) 9/10
Sharks
They may be without a few of their Springboks but this Sharks side looks good on paper. The Natalian’s possess a strong backline with centres Jeremy Ward and Marius Louw as great ball carriers and defenders. They also have some dynamic outside backs with Curwin Bosch not called up to the Springboks.
The host for this weekend’s game also boasts a strong forward pack, which will be helmed by veteran hooker Chiliboy Ralepele, who was handed the captain’s armband for Currie Cup.
Bulls
The men from Pretoria got their 2018 Currie Cup campaign off to a flying start by claiming a bonus point win away to the Cheetahs. While they started the game rather slowly – the two sides were locked at 7-7 after 40-minutes – they finished like a house on fire running in three tries in the second half, while their hosts could only respond with one of their own.
The Bulls can ill-afford such a slow start against a Sharks side that will be far more clinical than the Cheetahs. They will also have to work on their scrummaging this week as while they did enjoy the upper hand at the set piece for the vast majority of their clash with the Cheetahs, they did give away a few too many penalties of their own.
Verdict: Bulls (+6) 9/10 *
I quite fancy the Bulls to run this Sharks side close. Pote Human’s side looked good during the second-stanza with the Cheetahs. And if they can get parity at the set-piece and their backs are clinical from the offset, they may just be able to pull off a famous win here.
