All to play for in Bloemfontein – Vodacom Super Rugby Round 5 Preview
Photo: Jaco Pienaar
The Cell C Sharks will travel to one of their favourite destinations in South Africa when they take on the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon.
It’s the only local derby on the Vodacom Super Rugby menu in round five as the Emirates Lions and DHL Stormers both prepare to face stiff opposition from New Zealand.
The first match involving a team from South Africa is early on Saturday morning (05h30), when the Crusaders host the Emirates Lions in Christchurch.
The DHL Stormers will play host to the Chiefs on Saturday afternoon in Cape Town (15h00) before the derby in Bloemfontein (17h05).
The Cell C Sharks have won four from their six matches against the Toyota Cheetahs at the Free State Stadium, which is better than their records in Pretoria (four from 12), Cape Town (five from 12) or Johannesburg (six from 10, including matches against the Cats).
The Vodacom Bulls have a bye this weekend.
Crusaders v Emirates Lions
Date: Saturday 14 March
SA Time: 05h30
Venue: AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Television match official: Chris Wratt (New Zealand)
Team news:
· The Emirates Lions starting line-up is unchanged from last weekend.
· The only changes are on the bench, where new recruit Andries Ferreira, who has played 20 Vodacom Super Rugby matches for the Toyota Cheetahs, could make his franchise debut and Marnitz Boshoff is back.
· Robert Kruger and Jaco van der Walt drop out of the match-23.
· Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock and Nemani Nadolo will make their season debuts for the Crusaders. Dan Carter is back from injury and Owen Franks from suspension.
Stats:
· In 2001, the former Cats franchise – made up of players from the Golden Lions, Free State Cheetahs and Griquas – beat the Blues and Crusaders back to back in New Zealand. Current Emirates Lions coach Johan Ackermann started in both those matches and his direct opponent in the second match was current Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder.
· The Emirates Lions have never won back to back matches in New Zealand and the only time they managed to beat Kiwi sides on consecutive weekends was in 2007, when they beat the Highlanders and Crusaders in Johannesburg.
· Their only victory over the Crusaders came in 2007, when both teams failed to score a try but the Emirates Lions won by 9-3.
· Since 1996, the Crusaders have lost only three out of 47 home matches against South African opposition, while there were two draws. The defeats came in 1996 (against Northern Transvaal in Christchurch), 2001 (against the Cats in Nelson) and 2014 (against the Cell C Sharks in Christchurch).
· The last time the Crusaders lost their first two home games of the season was in 2004.
Quotes:
Emirates Lions coach Johan Ackermann: “The players deserve a lot of credit – they worked hard for last weekend’s victory and as a result we didn’t want to make big changes to the team. Hopefully it will pay dividends this weekend.
“It was a first win overseas for a lot of the guys and has given them confidence that we can play here, but we realise there is still a lot of work ahead. This week we’re facing one of the top sides in the competition, regardless of recent results, but the mood in our camp is positive.
“It doesn’t get easier though – we’ve read that the Crusaders were not happy with their performances so far this year, and it sounds like they will have all their All Blacks back this week, so we realise we have to focus and reset our minds for this challenge.”
The teams are:
Crusaders: Tom Taylor, Johnny McNicholl, Ryan Crotty, Dan Carter, Nemani Nadolo, Colin Slade, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read (captain), Richie McCaw, Jordan Taufua, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett. Replacements: Codie Taylor, Joe Moody, Nepo Laulala, Scott Barrett, Luke Whitelock, Mitchell Drummond, Kieron Fonotia, David Havili.
Emirates Lions: Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Sampie Mastriet, Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje, Warren Whiteley (captain), Warwick Tecklenburg, Jaco Kriel, Martin Muller, Franco Mostert, Julian Redelinghuys, Robbie Coetzee, Corné Fourie. Replacements: Armand van der Merwe, Jacques van Rooyen, Ruan Dreyer, Andries Ferreira, Derick Minnie, Faf de Klerk, Marnitz Boshoff, Howard Mnisi.
Crusaders v Emirates Lions (since 2006):
Played 7; Emirates Lions Won 1; Crusaders won 6
Points scored: 89
Points conceded: 206
Tries scored: 8
Tries conceded: 24
Average score: 13-29 to the Crusaders
DHL Stormers v Chiefs
Date: Saturday 14 March
SA Time: 15h00
Venue: DHL Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Team news:
· The DHL Stormers will start with a new halfback combination in Kurt Coleman and Louis Schreuder, with Nic Groom and Demetri Catrakilis, who started their first four matches, reverting to the bench.
· Kobus van Wyk is back from injury and will start at wing for the first time this season, in place of Johnny Kotze.
· Jean Kleyn replaces the injured Eben Etzebeth at lock and Ruan Botha is on the bench as he’s recovered from mild concussion.
· At hooker, Bongi Mbonambi is bracketed with Scarra Ntubeni, while the replacement hooker will be either Ntubeni or Neil Rautenbach.
Stats:
· It’s been six years since the Chiefs last won in Cape Town, in 2009 when they scored four tries to two in a 28-14 victory. They’ve only won twice at DHL Newlands in seven attempts.
· The DHL Stormers’ four-game winning streak is their best start to the season since 2012, when they won their first six encounters.
· Interestingly enough, since losing to the Vodacom Bulls in the final in 2009, the Chiefs have only lost twice in South Africa – in April 2011 against the Vodacom Bulls and in March 2013 against the DHL Stormers. Their other eight matches in the Republic have yielded six wins and two draws (both last year).
Quotes:
DHL Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee: “We’re in for a big one this weekend, of that there is no doubt. It’s not for nothing that the Chiefs have won the Vodacom Super Rugby title twice in the past three years and we need to be at our very best to win this one.
“They will test our defence in a different way, more so than before, as their biggest threat is the variety they bring on attack.”
The teams are:
DHL Stormers: Cheslin Kolbe, Kobus van Wyk, Juan de Jongh, Damian de Allende, Dillyn Leyds, Kurt Coleman, Louis Schreuder, Duane Vermeulen (captain), Siya Kolisi, Nizaam Carr, Manuel Carizza, Jean Kleyn, Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi / Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: Scarra Ntubeni / Neil Rautenbach, Alistair Vermaak, Frans Malherbe, Ruan Botha, Schalk Burger, Nic Groom, Demetri Catrakilis, Huw Jones.
Chiefs: TBC
DHL Stormers v Chiefs (since 1998):
Played 16; DHL Stormers won 9; Chiefs won 7
Points scored: 415
Points conceded: 412
Tries scored: 46
Tries scored: 46
Average score: 26-26
Toyota Cheetahs v Cell C Sharks
Date: Saturday, 7 March
SA Time: 17h05
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
Television match official: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
Team news:
· The Toyota Cheetahs initially selected Tienie Burger to make his starting debut at flank, for Oupa Mohoje, but the former picked up an injury during the week so Mohoje will start his fourth game of the season.
· Sarel Pretorius, a late withdrawal last weekend, is back at scrumhalf so Tian Meyer moves back to the bench.
· The Toyota Cheetahs have a new centre pairing in Francois Venter, who moves to inside centre, and Johann Sadie at outside centre. Michael van der Spuy misses out this week.
· Springbok flank Heinrich Brüssow has recovered from concussion and is on bench alongside Clayton Blommetjies, who started at wing in the first round against the Cell C Sharks.
· Springbok props Tendai Mtawarira and Jannie du Plessis are back for the Cell C Sharks. Thomas du Toit is bracketed with Dale Chadwick on the bench and Matt Stevens is out of the match-23.
· At lock, Mouritz Botha returns from injury. Lubabalo Mtyanda or Marco Wentzel will be the lock-replacement.
· Willem Alberts has been ruled out because of injury, meaning Renaldo Bothma will start at flank. Tera Mtembu comes into the reserves.
· The Cell C Sharks’ backline is unchanged.
Stats:
· The Toyota Cheetahs have won three of the last four meetings between these two teams, but before that the Cell C Sharks won five consecutive derbies against the team from Central South Africa.
· Only once in their six defeats to the Toyota Cheetahs have the Cell C Sharks not scored a losing bonus point, when they were beaten 31-6 in Bloemfontein in 2009.
· The Cell C Sharks have a better record in Bloemfontein against the Toyota Cheetahs (four from six) than in Durban, where the spoils are even on four from eight.
· Cell C Sharks lock Pieter-Steph du Toit has won more lineouts than any other player so far this season, with 26 takes.
Quotes:
Toyota Cheetahs captain Francois Uys: “Our set pieces were really good against the Sharks the last time we played them and it needs to be the same on Saturday. The Sharks has a world class front row and a very good line out as well. We weren’t at our best in set pieces this past weekend and we’ve really worked hard at it this week.”
Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold: “The Toyota Cheetahs were formidable opponents in our first round encounter and are a real threat with ball in hand. We will have our work cut out for us this Saturday in a pressurised situation.”
The teams are:
Toyota Cheetahs: Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks, Johann Sadie, Francois Venter, Raymond Rhule, Joe Pietersen, Sarel Pretorius, Boom Prinsloo, Jean Cook, Oupa Mohoje, Francois Uys (captain), Carl Wegner, Coenie Oosthuizen, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Danie Mienie. Replacements: Stephan Coetzee, BG Uys, Maks van Dyk, Steven Sykes, Heinrich Brüssow, Tian Meyer, Willie du Plessis, Clayton Blommetjies.
Cell C Sharks: SP Marais, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen, Frans Steyn, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Ryan Kankowski, Renaldo Bothma, Marcell Coetzee, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Mouritz Botha, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis (captain), Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: Kyle Cooper, Dale Chadwick / Thomas du Toit, Lourens Adriaanse, Marco Wentzel / Lubabalo Mtyanda, Tera Mtembu, Conrad Hoffmann, André Esterhuizen, Jack Wilson.
Toyota Cheetahs v Cell C Sharks (since 2006):
Played 14; Toyota Cheetahs won 6; Cell C Sharks won 8
Toyota Cheetahs points scored: 277
Cell C Sharks points scored: 333
Toyota Cheetahs tries scored: 29
Cell C Sharks tries scored: 31
Average score: 20-24 to the Cell C Sharks
Other fixtures (SA kick-off times):
Friday, 13 March:
08h35: Hurricanes v Blues – Palmerston North
13h00: Force v Rebels – Perth
Saturday, 14 March:
08h35: Highlanders v Waratahs – Dunedin
10h40: Reds v Brumbies – Brisbane
Bye: Vodacom Bulls
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