Three of our top picks this weekend: Wins for Pirates and the Bulls?

It’s another jam-packed sporting weekend, with plenty of action locally and abroad to keep fans glued to their screens.

Here is a selection of our best picks in football and rugby this weekend.

Football

Kaizer Chiefs v Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates have to be favourites to lift a third successive Nedbank Cup title when they take on Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

The Buccaneers are having a fantastic season and will be determined to sign off Jose Riveiro’s reign as head coach with another trophy.

Riveiro has already won three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cups since taking over as Pirates head coach at the start of the 2022/23 season. That means he has won five more trophies than Kaizer Chiefs in that time.

Amakhosi, indeed, need the Nedbank Cup title to avoid going a decade without a single piece of PSL silverware.

Chiefs did well to get past Sundowns in the semifinals, but can Nasreddine Nabi’s side really manage another shock on Saturday?

Prediction: Chiefs 0 Pirates 2

Newcastle United v Chelsea

Newcastle United and Chelsea are both chasing Uefa Champions League qualification by finishing in the top five in this season’s English Premier League.

And when the two meet at St James’ Park on Sunday, there is almost nothing to separate them. With three games left to play in the season, both are on 63 points, with a goal difference of +21.

Newcastle are sitting in fourth and Chelsea in fifth by virtue of Eddie Howe’s Magpies having scored four more goals than the Blues.

Prediction: Newcastle 1 Chelsea 1

Rugby

Bulls v Cardiff

We’re heading to the real business end of the United Rugby Championship with just two regular season matches remaining for all the teams, before the quarter-finals.

The Bulls, after a brilliant overseas tour, are third on the log, but chasing second in the coming weeks, being just one point behind Glasgow Warriors.

On Saturday they host Cardiff Rugby, who’re fifth on the table, and the surprise package this season.
It’s a game the Bulls simply have to win to stay in the race for second place.

Prediction: Bulls by 15