This Saturday, Pretoria is in for an exciting showdown as the Bulls and Lions clash in a highly anticipated Jukskei derby.
With everything to play for, this match promises to be a thrilling encounter, and it will be the only game of the weekend in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
Bulls Looking to Strengthen Their Position
The Bulls, currently sitting in third place with 35 points, are aiming for a win to extend their lead over the Sharks, who are in fourth with 34 points.
The Pretoria side is also eyeing a chance to close the gap on the second-placed Glasgow Warriors, who are on 42 points.
The Bulls will need a strong performance to keep their hopes alive for a top-two finish in the pool stages.
Despite being in a solid position, the Bulls will be desperate to recover from their first home defeat of the season, a loss to the Sharks last week.
They are also motivated by their desire to retain the SA Shield, which they won from the Stormers last season.
Victory at Loftus Versfeld would see them move ahead of the Sharks on the SA Shield log.
Lions Hope for a Surprise Victory
The Lions, who currently sit in 12th place with 23 points, will be looking to continue their momentum after last week’s impressive victory over the Stormers.
Despite being underdogs, the Johannesburg side upset the Capetonians at Ellis Park, and a win at Loftus could boost their position in the standings.
The Lions will also be determined to make up for their earlier loss to the Bulls at home a month ago.
Their only home defeat this season was at the hands of the Bulls, and they’ll be hungry for revenge in this away fixture.
A win for the Lions could see them move closer to the top eight and secure their spot in the playoffs.
A Tale of Two Teams
When comparing the two teams this season, the Bulls have the edge in attack, having scored 36 tries in their 10 matches, while the Lions have scored just 24 tries in nine matches.
However, the two teams are closely matched when it comes to defense, with the Bulls leaking 25 tries and the Lions conceding 27.
This makes for an intriguing battle between the two sides, both of whom are looking to push for a higher position in the standings.
Match Prediction
Given the Bulls’ superior attacking form and the Lions’ recent victory against the Stormers, it’s expected to be a closely contested match.
The prediction here is a narrow win for the Bulls, with a 5-point margin.
Teams for the Jukskei Derby
Bulls Starting XV
- Gerhard Steenekamp
- Johan Grobbelaar
- Wilco Louw
- Cobus Wiese
- JF van Heerden
- Marco van Staden
- Reinhardt Ludwig (captain)
- Mpilo Gumede
- Embrose Papier
- Willie le Roux
- Canan Moodie
- David Kriel
- Stedman Gans
- Sebastian de Klerk
- Devon Williams
Lions Starting XV
- Juan Schoeman
- PJ Botha
- Asenathi Ntlabakanye
- Etienne Oosthuizen
- Darrien Landsberg
- Jarod Cairns
- Ruan Venter
- Francke Horn (captain)
- Morne van den Berg
- Gianni Lombard
- Edwill van der Merwe
- Marius Louw
- Henco van Wyk
- Richard Kriel
- Quan Horn
Match Details
- Date: Saturday, 22 February
- Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
- Time: 14:00
- Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
- Broadcast: SuperSport
Looking Ahead
Will the Bulls claim victory and strengthen their position at the top of the standings, or will the Lions pull off another upset? Fans won’t want to miss this exciting clash that promises to deliver all the drama of a true Jukskei derby.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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