Pumas vs Lions
Two unbeaten teams lock horns as the Pumas welcome the Lions in this second-round encounter in the Currie Cup. Both teams recorded impressive away wins in the opening round with the Pumas brushing aside the Griquas 44-24 in Kimberley. The Lions squeaked home 26-25 in Durban against the Sharks but only gained the win after Lionel Cronje missed a conversion in the dying seconds of the match. The home team know that in order to make the playoffs, they will need to win all their matches in Mbombela. They looked like their dangerous selves in the last match with the rolling maul being their main weapon.
TIP: The Pumas love to be physical especially on their home patch and this match will be no exception. The return of hooker Eduan Swart after his stint overseas was a massive boost to the team in the scrum and the driving maul. If the Lions can at least gain parity in the forwards, then they could challenge the home side. The Pumas showed that when their dangerous backline is unleashed, they can score plenty of tries. The bookies have the Pumas as favorites and I am also backing them for the win. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Tictacbets 1.36, Playabets 1.36 and Bettabets 1.37
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS
Pumas vs Lions
- The Pumas have won four of the last five matches between the sides.
- The home side have won the last three matches between the sides.
Latest results for both teams
The Pumas beat Griquas 44-24 in their last match while the Lions beat the Sharks 26-25 in their last match.
PREDICTION
The Pumas will be delighted with the way their young players performed in the first match with the likes of Stefan Coetzee and De-an Ackermann having storming games. The latter was making his debut and got on the score sheet which will give him added confidence for this match. The Lions will be looking to their experienced players like Manuel Rass and Rabz Maxwane to show their skills in a difficult away fixture. Clinton Swart was exceptional in linking his backline and if he can repeat that performance, then the Lions could be in for a long evening. I am predicting a Pumas win by more than 10 points.
Probable Starting XVs
Pumas
15 Stefan Coetzee, 14 Lundi Msenge, 13 De-an Ackermann, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Phiko Sobahle, 10 Clinton Swart, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Ruwald van der Merwe, 6 Ntsika Fisanti, 5 Shane Kirkwood, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Etienne Janeke
Lions
15 Gianni Lombard, 14 Boldwin Hansen, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Zander du Plessis, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Izan Esterhuizen, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Raynard Roets, 3 RF Schoeman, 2 Jaco Visagie (captain), 1 Morgan Naudé
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Pumas victory are as follows:
Tictacbets 1.36
Playabets 1.36
Bettabets 1.37
Odds comparison on the Pumas handicap:
The complete odds on the Pumas handicap:
Tictacbets 1.90 (-7.5)
Playabets 1.87 (-7.5)
Bettabets 1.89 (-7.5)
Predictions and Odds in details
There are poor odds on the Pumas outright win therefore we suggest the home team on the handicap for better odds. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Tictacbets 1.90 (-7.5), Playabets 1.87 (-7.5) and Bettabets 1.89 (-7.5)
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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.
