Pumas vs Sharks
The Sharks will be on a high after beating the Bulls and going top of the table. The Pumas will be disappointed after losing their last home game to WP. This should be a great contest as both the teams are chasing play off positions. The Pumas will once again look to their forwards to give them the edge while the Sharks showed that they have an electric backline if their forwards can dominate. The battle in the forwards will be fierce but the scrum is the area the Pumas will target as this has been an area of weakness for the Sharks. The selection of Lionel Cronje at flyhalf transformed the Sharks attack and they once again look to him to ignite the backline. The Pumas will be desperate to avoid two home defeats but in order to overcome this strong Sharks team they will need to make sure they defend better than they did against Western Province. I’m certain that Coach Jimmy Stonehouse has spent his team’s week off focusing on better defensive structures as the Sharks team is excellent going forward
TIP: The Sharks half back pairing is the reason for them beating the Bulls. Grant Williams was simply outstanding at nine with his pace he was constantly making sniping runs and getting the Sharks on the front foot. Lionel Cronje managed the game with his crisp passing and excellent positional kicking.The battle between him and Eddie Fouché will go a long way to deciding the outcome of this match. The Pumas will look to go back to their strength which is the rolling maul. The man that controls this phase of play for the Pumas is hooker Simon Westraadt. He has defied his age in this competition and the Pumas look to him to control their major weapon, the rolling maul. The bookies have the Sharks as favourites and I’m also tipping them for the victory. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Worldsportsbetting 1.33, Playabets 1.32 and Sunbet 1.36
HEAD TO HEAD STATS
Pumas vs Sharks
- In the last six matches there have been five wins for the Sharks and one win for the Pumas.
- The last time the Pumas won against the Sharks was in 2019.
- In four home matches against the Sharks the Pumas have only won once.
Latest results for both teams
Pumas lost their last match against WP 37-23 and the Sharks won their last game against the Bulls 35-28.
PREDICTION
The Sharks may struggle at scrum time but all their players have the attacking mindset and the interplay between their backs and forwards is the best in the competition. The man that has really come to the fore in the last two games is Le Roux Roets. The lock has returned looking fitter and stronger and his ball carrying has been monstrous. He has given the Sharks they go forward ball they were craving for. The Pumas have their own attacking threats with Devon Williams and Etienne Taljaard. Both these players thrive on counter attack therefore the Sharks need to make certain that their kicking game is accurate otherwise these two will punish them. I think the Sharks will have too much fire power for the Pumas therefore I predict the Sharks to win by 10 points.
- Probable Starting XVs
Pumas
15 Devon Williams, 14 Tapiwa Mafura, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Matt Moore, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Eddie Fouché, 9 Ginter Smuts, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Phumzile Maqondwana, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Pieter Jansen van Vuren (captain), 4 Darrien Landsberg, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Dewald Maritz.
Sharks
15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Werner Kok, 12 Murray Koster, 11 Thaakir Abrahams, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi (captain), 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Sharks victory are as follows:
Worldsportsbetting 1.33
Playabets 1.32
Sunbet 1.36
Odds comparison on the Sharks handicap victory:
The complete odds on the Sharks handicap victory:
Worldsportsbetting (-8.5) 1.90
Sunbet (-7.5) 1.87
Playabets (-7.5) 1.86
Predictions and Odds in details
The Sharks team seem to be finally clicking but they know that complacency is often a problem for them especially after a big win. The Pumas will have also taken notice of the Sharks tendency to blow hot and cold. No doubt the home team will come out firing and if the Sharks can withstand the early barrage then they should win this contest. The form of Werner Kok has improved in every match and he will again be a threat in the midfield. His combination with the young Murray Koster has been a revelation and if they can find their wingers Yaw Penxe and Thaakir Abrahams then the Pumas will be in serious difficulties. The Sharks offer decent returns for punters on the outright victory but the value bet is on the Sharks handicap victory. The best odds on the Sharks handicap victory are as follows: Worldsportsbetting (-8.5) 1.90, Sunbet (-7.5) 1.87 and Playabets (-7.5) 1.86
Sports crazy fan that follows all major sport but the game with the oval ball is my real passion. Was an age level rugby coach and a huge supporter of the Springboks and diehard Liverpool man. I’m an experienced punter and sports writer whose predictions/tips are sure to stir up the emotions. I love the occasional wager on the underdog.
