Emirates Lions century for Jantjies – Vodacom Super Rugby Round 14 Preview
- Cell C Sharks shuffle backline for Chiefs’ visit to Durban
- DHL Stormers visit Hong Kong, Vodacom Bulls in Buenos Aires
Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies will reach a special milestone when he runs out for his 100th Vodacom Super Rugby match in the colours of the Emirates Lions, when they take on the Brumbies at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.
Jantjies reached his century at this level in last year’s Vodacom Super Rugby final, but he also has 13 caps for the DHL Stormers to his name. At 17h15 on Saturday, he will become the first player to represent the Emirates Lions in 100 matches.
Only 23 South African players have achieved the milestone of playing 100 matches for only one team.
The match on the Highveld is one of only two in South Africa in Round 14. The other local match kicks off at 15h05 in Durban, where the Cell C Sharks will host the Chiefs.
The two other SA teams, the DHL Stormers and the Vodacom Bulls, both have away assignments on Saturday. The Capetonians face the Sunwolves in the first Vodacom Super Rugby match in Hong Kong (07h15, SA time), while in the last fixture of the weekend, the Vodacom Bulls will take on the much-improved Jaguares in Buenos Aires (23h40, SA time).
Jantjies will be hoping to steer a reshuffled Emirates Lions team back to winning ways after they suffered three losses on the bounce in Australasia. The Highvelders’ pivot made his tournament debut in 2011 and has scored 906 points to date, in 112 Vodacom Super Rugby matches.
The Cell C Sharks have performed well against Kiwi opposition this year, winning two of three against the New Zealanders, and their supporters will be hoping that Robert du Preez’s side can rediscover that good form when they entertain the Chiefs in Durban.
The DHL Stormers and the Sunwolves should produce a very entertaining match in Hong Kong, with the Japanese side full of confidence after their record-win over the Reds last week in Tokyo.
In Buenos Aires, the Vodacom Bulls face a high-riding Jaguares team following their clean-sweep of four wins on tour in Australia and New Zealand. The Argentineans had a break last weekend, while the men from Pretoria have been plagued by injuries to key players.
Team news:
Lock Chris van Zyl will captain the DHL Stormers in Hong Kong, while regular captain Siya Kolisi’s workload is being managed as he starts on the bench. Cobus Wiese comes into the starting line-up as flank, along with No 8 Nizaam Carr and loosehead prop JC Janse van Rensburg, for the injured Steven Kitshoff. Amongst the backs, Jean-Luc du Plessis will make his first start of the campaign at flyhalf and Seabelo Senatla will start on the wing.
The Cell C Sharks made three changes to their starting line-up. Philip van der Walt returns at flank in place of Jacques Vermeulen, Lwazi Mvovo comes in on the left wing for Makazole Mapimpi, and scrumhalf Louis Schreuder replaces Cameron Wright.
Former Junior Springbok Manie Libbok was selected at flyhalf while regular pivot Handré Pollard shifts to inside centre in place of the injured Vodacom Bulls skipper Burger Odendaal. Pollard also takes over the captaincy. In a new-look front row, Trevor Nyakane moves to loosehead prop and Conraad van Vuuren starts at tighthead, while Jason Jenkins shifts from flank to lock with Thembelani Bholi back in the starting loose trio.
Hacjivah Dayimani makes his way back into the Emirates Lions’ starting line-up at No 8, Madosh Tambwe and Sylvian Mahuza were picked on the wings, and Aphiwe Dyantyi and Rohan Janse van Rensburg will start in the midfield. Springbok scrumhalf Ross Cronjé, back from injury, is amongst the reserves.
What they said:
According to DHL Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck, his team is looking forward to the first match in Hong Kong: “It will be great to play in Hong Kong and break new ground, but we are here to do a job and the team is focused on the task at hand. Our preparations have gone well here and the players are determined to put together a convincing performance.”
Vodacom Bulls head coach John Mitchell said his charges know what to expect in Argentina: “We’re not dwelling on the injury setbacks. The Jaguares are in good form and we face a stern test in Buenos Aires on Saturday.”
Cell C Sharks flyhalf Robert du Preez said: “The log is wide open. We know we messed up against the Vodacom Bulls, but this weekend is another chance to fix our mistakes and we’re looking forward to the game.”
SUNWOLVES vs DHL STORMERS
#SUNvSTO
Head to head:
Played: 4
Sunwolves won: 0
DHL Stormers won: 3
Draws: 1
Sunwolves points: 82
DHL Stormers points: 159
Average score: 20-40
Teams:
Sunwolves: 15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Kenki Fukuoka, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Michael Little, 11 Akihito Yamada, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Edward Quirk (captain), 6 Michael Leitch, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Takuma Asahara, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Shintaro Ishihara. Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze 17 Craig Millar, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Uwe Helu, 20 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 21 Yutaka Nagare, 22 Yu Tamura, 23 Jason Emery.
DHL Stormers: 15 SP Marais, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Kobus van Dyk, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Chris van Zyl (captain), 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg. Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Carlu Sadie, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Jan de Klerk, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 EW Viljoen.
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 19 May
SA time: 07h15
Venue: Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
Assistant referees: Shuhei Kubo and Tasuku Kawara (Jap)
Television match official: Minoru Fuji (Jap)
TV: SuperSport 1
CELL C SHARKS vs CHIEFS
#SHAvsCHI
Head to head:
Played: 19
Cell C Sharks won: 8
Chiefs won: 11
Cell C Sharks points: 444
Chiefs points: 476
Average score: 23-25
Teams:
Cell C Sharks: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Ruan Botha (captain), 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Stephan Lewies, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Makazole Mapimpi.
Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Sean Wainui, 13 Charlie Ngatai (captain), 12 Johnny Fa’auli, 11 Solomon Alaimalo, 10 Marty McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Pita Gus Sowakula, 7 Liam Messam, 6 Luke Jacobson, 5 Michael Allardice, 4 Tyler Ardron, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Liam Polwart, 1 Karl Tu’inukuafe. Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Sam Prattley, 18 Sosefo Kautai, 19 Jesse Parete, 20 Matt Matich, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Luteru Laulala, 23 Toni Pulu.
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 19 May
SA time: 15h05
Venue: Jonsson Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Mike Fraser (NZ)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen and Archie Sehlako (SA)
Television match official: Willie Vos (SA)
TV: SuperSport 1
EMIRATES LIONS vs BRUMBIES
#LIOvBRU
Head to head:
Played: 18
Emirates Lions won: 5
Brumbies won: 13
Emirates Lions points: 322
Brumbies points: 569
Average score: 18-32
Teams:
Emirates Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Franco Mostert (captain), 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Lourens Erasmus, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Dylan Smith. Replacements: 16 Corne Fourie, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Len Massyn, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Shaun Reynolds, 23 Ruan Combrinck.
Brumbies: TBA
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 19 May
SA time: 17h15
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Nick Briant (NZ)
Assistant referees: Quinton Immelman and Stephan Geldenhuys (SA)
Television match official: Marius Jonker (SA)
TV: SuperSport 1
JAGUARES vs VODACOM BULLS
#JAGvBUL
Head to head:
Played: 2
Jaguares won: 1
Vodacom Bulls won: 1
Jaguares points: 42
Vodacom Bulls points: 37
Average score: 21-18
Teams:
Jaguares: TBA
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Handré Pollard (captain), 11 Johnny Kotze, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Trevor Nyakane. Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Nqobisiwe Mxoli, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Hendre Stassen, 20 Nic de Jager, 21 Andre Warner, 22 JT Jackson, 23 Divan Rossouw.
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 19 May
SA time: 23h40
Venue: Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Referee: Ferderico Anselmi (Arg)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (Aus) and Pablo Deluca (Arg)
Television match official: Santiago Borsani (Arg)
TV: SuperSport 1
Other Round 14 fixtures (SA kick-off times):
Friday, 18 May
09h35: Hurricanes vs Reds, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Saturday, 19 May
09h35: Blues vs Crusaders, Eden Park, Auckland
11h45: Waratahs vs Highlanders, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Byes: Rebels
