This week we will take a look at the Africa 2 Conference, arguably the more competitive of the African conferences.
Here is Rob’s take on the Africa 1 Conference.
Lions
Last year – Runners up
Key player – Warren Whiteley
Who saw the Lions coming last year? One of the best rugby stories of the past decade, the perennial cellar dwellers surprised everyone making it to the big dance only to come up just short against the Hurricanes.
Johan Ackerman’s team were the top try-scoring team last season, scoring from anywhere on the field, playing a scintillating brand of rugby that caught everyone by surprise. This year no one will be surprised anymore.
They will know what is coming and here will be the challenge for the Lions, can they maintain that form? Players such as Rohan Janse Van Rensburg and Ruan Combrinck will be watched and marshalled a lot closer you would have thought and teams will put a lot pf pressure on Elton Jantjies.
Inspirational captain Warren Whiteley will look to continue his good form and along with Jaco Kriel offer one of the more mobile and powerful back row combinations.
With the team kept together they will once again excite but I think it will be tough to reproduce the heroics of last season.
Prediction: Semi-finals
Jaguares
Last year – 13th
Key player – Augustin Creevy
One of the biggest disappointments of last season, Los Jaguares really struggled in their first year in the competition, suffering the indignity of becoming the first and only team to lose to the Sunwolves.
They did show glimpses of what they can do, their comeback victory on the opening day against the Cheetahs will live long in the memory, but performances like that were few and far between.
This season they will not face any New Zealand teams and have the Brumbies at home so the draw has been kind. They need to start well on their tour of South Africa to build some momentum or it could be once again a long season for them.
If they do start well and turn their Velez Sarsfield home into a cauldron then they could go deep into the competition. They are a season wiser and have players that have played a lot of big international games together, I see an improvement this season but with a lot two separate tours of South Africa it will depend on what team turns up.
Prediction: Quarter finals
Sharks
Last year – eighth, lost in quarter finals
Key player – Patrick Lambie
The Sharks snuck into the quarter finals last season. Losing Patrick Lambie for most of the season was a big blow for the Durban-based outfit and they need him to be back to his best for them to progress out of the conference this season.
JP Pietersen and Willie Le Roux have both gone to the UK and their experience will be missed in a backline that lacks a bit of firepower.
Clement Poitrenuad’s signing is a very interesting one. On his day, still an absolutely quality rugby player that makes things look easy but his best days are behind him now.
As always, they will have a big pack and a lot of tries will be scored from a maul from a lineout I predict.
Michael Claassens is a cool experienced head behind the scrum that will help Lambie guide them around the park. Their games against Los Jaguares could prove pivotal as to who joins the Lions in the Quarter Finals.
Prediction: Third in Conference
Kings
Last year – 17th
Key player – Ross Geldenhuys
It was a tough year for the Kings on their return to Super Rugby. Their season was overshadowed by their struggles to sign players. Wins over fellow new comers the Sunwolves and Los Jaguares (who were down to 13 men) meant they were not bottom of the pile at the end of the season.
This pre-season, once again there has been huge changes in player personnel. All of the front row players bar one have been changed, all the second row options are different, two new numbers 8s have come in and it is all change at scrum half, fly half, centre and full back.
All these wholesale changes have ensured that there is no continuity from the previous season and they are back to starting at from scratch again.
Another tough season lies in wait for the Eastern Cape franchise and a couple of games in Australia. They may avoid the wooden spoon, but only just.
Prediction: 17th
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