Lions vs Sharks
The unbeaten Lions welcome the winless Sharks to Emirates Park for this round 4 encounter on the Currie Cup. The home side has surprised many by winning their opening three matches. They have already beaten their opponents in this match in the reverse fixture. The Lions were lucky to snatch the win as only a missed conversion by Lionel Cronje in the 80th minute gave them the 1-point win. The Sharks on the other hand have been poor in all three matches as they seek to blood a host of youngsters. The experienced players in the team have been the most disappointing for the visitors.
TIP: The Lions have been the most dominant side in the age group competitions of the last few seasons and now those players have been a revelation in the senior team Fly half Sam Francis has been an absolute star in the ten jersey. Ironically one of the weaknesses in the Sharks team has been the flyhalf position. They will be desperate to get Siya Masuku back for this match as he can control the match. The bookies have the Lions as favorites and I am also backing them for the win. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Tictacbets 1.25, Playabets 1.25 and Bettabets 1.25.
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS
Lions vs Sharks
- The Sharks have won one of the last four matches between the sides.
- The Lions have won the last three matches.
Latest results for both teams
The Lions beat the Griquas 25-13 in their last match while the Sharks lost 31-21 to the Pumas in their last match.
PREDICTION
The Sharks have struggled to put together an 80 minute performance as they have played catch up after falling behind in two of the matches. In the match against the Griquas they led by 20 points but still contrived to lose. The Lions have had no such issues as they thrashed the Pumas by 75-21 in Nelspruit and then beat the Griquas. If the visitors are to break their duck, they will need the likes of Yaw Penxe and Bradley Davids. These players are to slow in attack which has seen the opposition close them down too easily. The shining light for the Sharks has been young Captain Nick Hatton. I am predicting a home win by 8 points.
Probable Starting XVs
Lions
15 Gianni Lombard, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Sibahle Maxwane, 10 Sam Francis, 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.
Sharks
15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Muller du Plessis, 12 Alwayno Visagie, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 Tiaan Swanepoel, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Nick Hatton (captain), 7 Jannes Potgieter, 6 Siya Ningiza, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Reinier Viljoen, 3 IG Prinsloo, 2 Daniel Jooste, 1 Abraham Reyneke
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Lions victory are as follows:
Tictacbets 1.25
Playabets 1.25
Bettabets 1.25
Odds comparison on the Sharks handicap:
The complete odds on the Sharks handicap:
Tictacbets 1.90 (+12.5)
Playabets 1.87 (+12.5)
Bettabets 1.89 (+12.5)
Predictions and Odds in details
There are poor odds on the Lions win therefore we suggest the away team on the handicap for better odds. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Tictacbets 1.90 (+12.5), Playabets 1.87 (+12.5) and Bettabets 1.89 (+12.5)
Other tips for the weekend (Predicted winners are in BOLD text)
South Africa vs Japan
Ireland vs New Zealand
Fiji vs France
Lions vs Sharks
Pumas vs Griquas
Bulls vs WP
Tic Tac Bets is the perfect platform for all your sports bets. We recommend registering with Tic Tac Bets, and you will receive a 100% first deposit match of up to 2000 ZAR.
How to Register
- Log onto the Tic Tac Bets site at www.TicTacBets.co.za
- Click on the Green “Join Now” Button at the top right of the page
- You need to complete the registration form that requires importance personal information and you mobile number
- An OTP code will be sent to your mobile, please enter this code and accept the terms and conditions.
- Click on the “Submit’ Button” to complete the registration process
- Once you finish registering, contact Tic Tac Bets to activate your sign up bonus
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.
