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Opinionated Rugby Commentary - by Fans for Fans
Spill what you really think about events in the rugby world.
Super Rugby Round 14 Cheetahs vs Highlanders 8 views
14 May 2015 by The Swede Eaters
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Here is a preview of Cheetahs vs Highlanders.
The Highlanders have named their team to play the Cheetahs in Super Rugby Round 14. The team is largely predictable with Waisake Naholo being replaced by the exciting Ryan Tongia on the right wing being the most significant change. John Hardie also starts after coming off the bench last week. Alex Ainley also starts at lock. Super Rugby is a marathon, not a sprint, so it is important to rotate the squad. Are you picking the Highlanders to beat the Cheetahs?
The Highlanders backline players like Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Patrick Osborne, Waisake Naholo and Lima Sopoaga have hardly missed a game yet, so it is important to keep resting players if they have niggles. My main concern is that I thought one of the All Blacks might sit this game out as one of their compulsory rests before the end of the season, so we avoid a situation like the Brumbies game where the Highlanders basically threw it.
Cheetahs vs Highlanders
The Highlanders will be hurting after blowing a 17 point lead against the Lions to literally run out of steam at altitude. This week watch for them to seek revenge against the Cheetahs.
The Cheetahs defence is the worst in the competition, while the Highlanders have scored the third highest amount of tries in Super Rugby 2015, so expect them to continue this trend.
This game should be high scoring as both teams enjoy giving the ball some air. The Cheetahs have nothing to play for in 2015, while the Highlanders are precariously perched on the edge of the Top Six with a large bunch chasing, so a high scoring win would be what the doctor ordered.
It will be interesting to see if the Highlanders give any of their All Blacks a rest for this game.
Players to watch: Cheetahs Torsten van Jaarsveld, Boom Prinsloo, Francois Venter.
Highlanders – Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Patrick Osborne, Lima Sopoaga, Nasi Manu.
My picks: The Highlanders must win if they are to make the Top Six and expect them to dominate. The Highlanders have won all four away matches against the Cheetahs, but they have all been by between three and seven points. The Cheetahs team seems to be lacking their big name players and so will probably struggle, although they did beat the Stormers in their last home game.
My pick: Highlanders by 7 points.
Will the Highlanders beat the Cheetahs in Super Rugby Round 14?
What do you think of the Highlanders team named to face the Cheetahs?
My pick : Highlanders by 7 points.
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Boom Prinsloo, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Maks van Dyk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Danie Minnie.
Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 BG Uys, 18 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 19 Steven Sykes, 20 Carel Greeff, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Coenie van Wyk, 23 Raymond Rhule.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (c), 14 Ryan Tongia, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Richard Buckman, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu (c), 7 John Hardie, 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Mark Reddish, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Brendon Edmonds.
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Tom Franklin, 20 Elliot Dixon, 21 Dan Pryor, 22 Fumiaki Tanaka, 23 Marty Banks.
http://www.superrugbytips.com/2015/05/highlanders-vs-cheetahs-super-rugby.html
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