Cardiff vs Sharks
These teams have contrasting fortunes in their last match. Cardiff had a comfortable lead at half time over the Bulls and the Bulls had just had their star flyhalf stretchered of the field. Maybe it was complacency but Cardiff completely fell away in the second half. The Sharks fell behind in their match but came back superbly to beat the Ospreys thanks to a man of the match performance from their flyhalf Boeta Chamberlain. His a young man but showed his composure by landing three drop goals, two of them directly from goal line drop outs. The Sharks took the plunge in the last game and dropped Curwin Bosch and skipper Phepsi Buthelezi with Thomas Du Toit taking the helm and it worked a treat with the Sharks getting their first win. Coach Everitt does the unthinkable and recalls these players and benches the guys that played so well last time out. His selections continue to baffle the supporters.
TIP: The reality of the situation is that the old adage of never changing a winning team must apply. Cardiff has strengthened their team with the addition of Wales international Willis Halaholo. His dynamic ball carrying was sorely missed against the Bulls and although he came on as a substitute it was too late. The Sharks would have noticed last week that Cardiff were completely outplayed when the Bulls adopted the rush defence. They must also follow suit if they want their second win. Both these teams have kicking 10s and we can expect a lot of aerial ping pong. This is a strange tactic from Cardiff as they have great attacking threats in their backline. The bookies have Cardiff as the favourite but im tipping the Sharks to cause another upset. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Worldsportsbetting 2.35, Playabets 2.55 and Sunbet 2.45
HEAD TO HEAD STATS
Cardiff vs Sharks
- This is the first meeting between these two sides.
Latest results for both teams
Cardiff lost their last match 29-19 to the Bulls while the Sharks beat Ospreys 27-13 in their last match.
PREDICTION
The Sharks change their team each week and I feel this prevents fluency especially in their back line. The halfback partnership between Chamberlain and Ruan Pienaar is starting to beat fruition with Pienaar’s experience shining through. Cardiff will look to bombard Bosch in the fullback position as his defence is his weakness. He will have to deal with the world class Josh Adams and also players like Matthew Morgan. Both these players are excellent in the air but it is their pace and finishing ability’s that are even better. The Sharks scrum for the first time in a long while had the advantage over an opposition front row and they will want that performance again. Cardiff has a strong front row as they dominated the Bulls and that does not happen very often. If the Sharks win the scrum contest then I predict them to go on and win a tight match by 3 points
- Probable Starting XVs
Cardiff
15 Matthew Morgan, 14 Aled Summerhill, 13 Owen Lane, 12 Willis Halaholo, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Will Boyde, 7 Ellis Jenkins, 6 Josh Turnbull (c), 5 Rory Thornton, 4 Seb Davies, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Kirby Myhill, 1 Rhys Carr
Sharks
15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Marnus Potgieter, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Murray Koster, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi (captain), 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Sharks victory are as follows:
Worldsportsbetting 2.35
Playabets 2.55
Sunbet 2.45
Odds comparison on the Sharks handicap :
The complete odds on the Sharks handicap:
Worldsportsbetting (+3.5) 1.90
Sunbet (+4.5) 1.90
Playabets (+3.5) 1.85
Predictions and Odds in details
As it most often the case the team with the more effective forward pack wins the match. This match is no exception and if Springbok Thomas du Toit can have another barnstorming match then he will give the Sharks the edge in the forward battle. The player that owes the Sharks a big performance is skipper Phepsi Buthelezi. We know that he is capable of that great showing but he seems to be trying too hard. Rugby is a team sport and his refusal to pass is causing problems for the team. Both teams will need to control their discipline as there are kickers with big boots on both teams. The bookies are offering great rewards on the Sharks on the upset victory. If you are not keen on the long shot then I suggest the Sharks on the handicap as a safety bet. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Worldsportsbetting (+3.5) 1.90, Sunbet (+4.5) 1.90 and Playabets (+3.5) 1.85
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.
