Table set for big coastal battle – Vodacom Super Rugby Round 10 Preview
- Resurgent Vodacom Bulls face Rebels onslaught
- Emirates Lions kick off overseas tour in Sydney
The table is set for a typical South African Vodacom Super Rugby derby when both the Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers will be looking to get their campaign back on track when they clash on Saturday at 17h15 at Jonsson Kings Park in Durban.
In Saturday’s early afternoon game, the resurgent Vodacom Bulls want to continue with their good form of late when they host the Rebels from 15h00 in Pretoria.
The Emirates Lions will get the tenth round underway from a local perspective when they begin their overseas tour of Australia and New Zealand on Friday morning against the Waratahs in Sydney. The match against the Australian pacesetters kicks off at 11h45 (SA time), while the remaining South African conference fixture sees the Jaguares against the Brumbies in action from 08h05 on Sunday in Canberra.
Regular Emirates Lions skipper Warren Whiteley was withdrawn from the team earlier this week because of a recurring knee injury. Franco Mostert will again wear the No 7-jersey and lead the Highvelders against the Waratahs, while Marvin Orie and Andries Ferreira were confirmed as the lock combination. New scrumhalf recruit Nic Groom is set to make his first appearance for the Johannesburg side from the bench.
The Emirates Lions have won their last two games against the Waratahs and have in fact won nine of their last 10 fixtures against Australian opposition, including their last six in a row. The New South Welshmen, meanwhile, are currently on a four-game winning streak and will be a hard nut to crack at home.
Saturday’s match in Pretoria will be the sixth meeting between the Vodacom Bulls and Rebels, with the home finishing on the winning side on four of the previous five occasions.
Vodacom Bulls coach John Mitchell has made only one injury enforced change to the starting team that defeated the Cell C Sharks 40-10 in Durban last weekend. Hanro Liebenberg is out with a knee injury, which means a move from flank to No 8 for Marco van Staden, with Roelof Smit taking over the No 6 jersey.
Cell C Sharks coach Robert du Preez selected Makazole Mapimpi in place of Lwazi Mvovo on the wing while Cameron Wright comes in for Louis Schreuder at scrumhalf in the two changes to his backline for their important home clash against the DHL Stormers.
Dan du Preez starts with his twin brother Jean-Luc in the loose trio, taking over from Tera Mtembu at No 8, in the only change among the forwards. The Durbanites have won their last three games against the DHL Stormers and will be looking for a confidence booster on Saturday.
Sikhumbuzo Notshe will make his first start of the season for the DHL Stormers in Durban. The 24-year-old will be at No 8 in the only change to the DHL Stormers pack for the coastal derby. There are a few changes to the backline, with Craig Barry starting on the wing and Dillyn Leyds shifting to fullback, while a fit-again Dewaldt Duvenage replaces the injured Jano Vermaak at scrumhalf.
What they said:
Cell C Sharks centre Lukhanyo Am admits they will look to turn matters around against their Cape rivals, following the loss to the Vodacom Bulls last week: “This game could be our season-changer, we’re looking to regain our confidence and consistency in this match. But there are no easy games and we’ll need to bring our A-game on Saturday.”
DHL Stormers Head Coach Robbie Fleck said that after a much-needed bye, his side is determined to get back to winning ways on Saturday: “The break was good for the squad from both a mental and physical perspective and we returned refreshed this week, ready to take on the second half of the campaign. It is great to have some players returning from injury and it has been a good week of training so we are looking forward to the weekend.”
John Mitchell, Vodacom Bulls coach, said: “We will be looking for consistency this week, and also to maintain the same level of performance. The Rebels is a quality side and we will have to be good in our execution and on defence.”
Emirates Lions coach Swys de Bruin said: “Our team usually travel well but we are playing a Waratahs team that is on a good run and full of confidence.”
WARATAHS v EMIRATES LIONS
#WARvLIO
Head to head:
Played: 17
Waratahs won: 14
Emirates Lions won: 3
Waratahs points: 654
Emirates Lions points: 324
Average score: 38-19
Teams:
Waratahs: 15 Bryce Hegarty, 14 Alex Newsome, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Tom Staniforth, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Damian Fitzpatrick, 1 Tom Robertson. Replacements: 16 Hugh Roach, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Nick Palmer, 20 Jed Holloway, 21 Will Miller, 22 Nick Phipps, 23 Lalakai Foketi.
Emirates Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Franco Mostert (captain), 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen. Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Nic Groom, 22, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza.
Match information:
Date: Friday, 20 April
SA time: 11h45
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Mike Fraser (NZ)
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy and Graham Cooper (Aus)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Aus)
TV: SuperSport 1
VODACOM BULLS v REBELS
#BULvREB
Head to head:
Played: 5
Vodacom Bulls won: 4
Rebels won: 1
Vodacom Bulls points: 193
Rebels points: 98
Average score: 39-20
Teams:
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Divan Rossouw, Handré Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Shaun Adendorff, 21 André Warner, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Duncan Matthews.
Rebels: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Tom English, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Michael Ruru, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Angus Cottrell, 6 Ross Haylett-Petty, 5 Adam Coleman (captain), 4 Matt Philip, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Anaru Rangi, 1 Tetera Faulkner. Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Fereti Sa’aga, 18 Jermaine Ainsley, 19 Geoff Parling, 20 Richard Hardwick, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Billy Meakes, 23 Sefa Naivalu.
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 21 April
SA time: 15h05
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge and AJ Jacobs (SA)
Television match official: Willie Vos (SA)
TV: SuperSport 1
CELL C SHARKS vs DHL Stormers
#SHAvSTO
Head to head:
Played: 26
Cell C Sharks won: 14
DHL Stormers won: 12
Cell C Sharks points: 534
DHL Stormers points: 516
Average score: 21-20
Teams:
Cell C Sharks: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Ruan Botha (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Juan Schoeman. Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Louis Screuder, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
DHL Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Craig Barry, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian De Allende, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Kobus van Dyk, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 SP Marais, 23 JJ Engelbrecht.
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 21 April
SA time: 17h15
Venue: Jonsson Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZ)
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni and Egon Seconds (SA)
Television match official: Marius Jonker (SA)
TV: SuperSport 1
Other Round 10 fixtures (SA kick-off times):
Friday, 20 April
09h35: Blues vs Highlanders, Eden Park, Auckland
Saturday, 21 April
09h35: Crusaders vs Sunwolves, AMI Stadium, Christchurch
11h45: Reds vs Chiefs, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Sunday, 22 April
08h05: Brumbies vs Jaguares, GIO Stadium, Canberra
Bye: Hurricanes
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