- Injury-hit DHL Stormers looking for improvement against Blues
- Emirates Lions entertain Sunwolves in late Johannesburg fixture
- Jean-Luc du Preez on Cell C Sharks’ bench against Brumbies
The Vodacom Bulls kick off the weekend’s Vodacom
Super Rugby action when they face the Chiefs in Hamilton at 08h35 (SA time) on Friday morning in the only match scheduled for the day, while the Cell C Sharks begin their overseas leg on Saturday morning when they visit Canberra to play the Brumbies (10h45).
Two local matches are scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The DHL Stormers return to Cape Town after three matches on the road abroad and host the Blues at 15h05.
Then in the late afternoon fixture in Johannesburg, the Emirates Lions will be keen to bounce straight back to winning ways following their upset loss to the Blues when they face the Sunwolves at 17h15
.
Vodacom Bulls coach John Mitchell made four changes to his
side for their visit to Hamilton, with fit-again regular captain
Burger Odendaal resuming his midfield partnership with Jesse Kriel, while Divan Rossouw will start at left wing in the place of Duncan Matthews. Up front, Hanro Liebenberg shifts from flank to No 8, Thembelani Bholi plays at No 7 and Springbok Trevor Nyakane is set for his first start of the season at tighthead.
Cell C Sharks coach Robert du Preez made two changes to his team – Thomas du Toit returns to the starting pack at tighthead and wing Kobus van Wyk replaces Sbu Nkosi in a rotational switch. Springbok loose forward Jean-Luc du Preez makes his first appearance on the bench since recovering from a serious ankle injury.
The DHL Stormers have been severely hit by injuries this season and to compound matters the team and management have been hit by a flu outbreak that disrupted preparations for the important meeting with the visiting Blues, who last week inflicted the Emirates Lions’ first loss of the campaign.
As a result, the team may change on match-day depending on how they progress. Meanwhile, outside back Craig Barry is in line to make his DHL Stormers debut against the Blues. The 25-year-old recently returned to the team from a loan spell at the Toyota Cheetahs and could feature on Saturday should he come off the bench. Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit returns at blindside flank.
Despite losing some experienced players to injury, the Emirates Lions will still have a lot of firepower when they tackle the Sunwolves in Johannesburg. Springbok Franco Mostert will lead the side from blindside flank, while the team shows several rotational changes especially with next week’s away trip to Argentina in mind. One of these sees the return of Harold Vorster to midfield with Rohan Janse van Rensburg moving out to the wing.
No fewer than five South Africans have been included in the Sunwolves’ team, all of them forwards – they are Lappies Labuschagne, Wimpie van der Walt, Hencus van Wyk, Grant Hattingh and 20 Willie Britz.
What they said:
DHL Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck said his team cannot wait to play in front of the DHL Newlands faithful on Saturday. “It is great to be back home and despite some difficulties this week with illness, the players are determined to put up a big performance. We always look forward to playing at DHL Newlands and the match against the Blues promises to be another memorable one.”
Emirates Lions head coach Swys de Bruin explained his side have put the loss to the Blues behind them: “That match is in the past and we are looking forward to once more playing home in front of our supporters. The Sunwolves showed a lot of improvement but we will focus on our goals.”
Vodacom Bulls head coach John Mitchell said the match in Hamilton is a fantastic opportunity for his new-look side against the Chiefs: “We have a definite plan on how to try and beat the Chiefs. We will have to do a couple of things well to achieve that, including playing as a unit.”
Cell C Sharks head coach Robert du Preez described the Brumbies as a very good team. “Their pack of forwards is really strong and that is where the game is going to be won or lost. We enjoy touring and there’s a great vibe in the team. Our training sessions this week have been good with some great intensity. It’s important for us to start this tour off on a positive note.”
CHIEFS vs VODACOM BULLS
#CHIvBUL Head to head:
Played: 21
Chiefs won: 11
Vodacom Bulls won: 8
Drawn matches: 2
Chiefs points: 648
Vodacom Bulls: 588
Average score: 31-28
Teams:
Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Sean Wainui, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Johnny Fa'auli, 11 Solomon Alaimalo, 10 Tiaan Falcon, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Liam Messam, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 6 Lachlan Boshier, 5 Mitchell Brown, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Angus Ta'avao, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Liam Polwart, 17 Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Michael Allardice, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Marty McKenzie/Bailyn Sullivan, 23 Declan O'Donnell.
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Divan Rossouw, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Jason Jenkins/Tim Agaba, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Johnny Kotze.
Match information:
Date: Friday, 16 March
SA time: 08h35
Venue: FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Shuhei Kubo (Japan)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (NZ), Kelly Richard (NZ)
Television match official: Shane McDermott (NZ)
TV: SuperSport 1
BRUMBIES v CELL C SHARKS
#BRUvSHA Head to head:
Played: 19
Brumbies won: 9
Cell C Sharks: 10
Brumbies points: 474
Cell C Sharks points: 411
Average score: 25-22
Teams:
Brumbies: 15 Andrew Muirhead, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Lealiifano (captain), 11 Lausii Taliauli, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Tom Cusack, 6 Lachlan McCaffrey, 5 Blake Enever, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Faingaa, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Connal McInerney, 17 Nic Mayhew, 18 Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 19 Richie Arnold, 20 Lolo Fakaosilea, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 James Dargaville, 23 Tom Banks.
Cell C Sharks: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Wian Vosloo, 5 Stephan Lewis, 4 Ruan Botha (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 17 March
SA time: 10h45
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZ)
Assistant referees: Will Houston (Aus), James Leckie (Aus)
Television match official: Ian Smith (Aus)
TV: SuperSport 1
DHL STORMERS v BLUES
#STOvBLU Head to head:
Played: 18
DHL Stormers won: 9
Blues won: 9
DHL Stormers points: 437
Blues points: 465
Average score: 24-26
Teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian De Allende, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 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 Dean Muir, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Justin Phillips, 23 Craig Barry.
Blues: TBA
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 17 March
SA time: 15h05
Venue: DHL Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (SA), Cwengile Jadezweni (SA)
Television match official: Christie du Preez (SA)
TV: SuperSport 1
EMIRATES LIONS v SUNWOLVES
#LIOvSUN Head to head:
Played: 2
Emirates Lions won: 2
Sunwolves won: 0
Emirates Lions: 120
Sunwolves: 20
Average score: 60-10
Teams:
Emirates Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Francois Mostert (captain), 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Lourens Erasmus, 3 Jacobus Adriaanse, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Shaun Reynolds.
Sunwolves: 15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Lomano Lemeki, 13 William Tupou, 12 Michael Little, 11 Hosea Saumaki, 10 Harumichi Tatekawa, 9 Yutaka Nagare, 8 Michael Leitch (captain), 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 5 Wimpie van der Walt, 4 Kazuki Himeno, 3 Jiwon Koo, 2 Yusuke Niwai, 1 Craig Millar.
Replacements: 16 Atsushi Sakate, 17 Shintaro Ishihara, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Grant Hattingh, 20 Willie Britz, 21 Keisuke Uchida, 22 Ryoto Nakamura, 23 Ryuji Noguchi.
Match information:
Date: Saturday, 17 March
SA time: 17h15
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (SA)
Assistant referees: Egon Seconds (SA), Stephan Geldenhuys (SA)
Television match official: Willie Vos (SA)
TV: SuperSport 1
Other Round 5 matches:
Saturday, 17 March:
08h35: Highlanders v Crusaders, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
23h40: Jaguares v Reds, Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Sunday, 18 March:
07h05: Waratahs v Rebels, Allianz Stadium, Sydney