The backdrop to Saturday’s mouth-watering URC derbies in Pretoria and Cape Town is the injection of a raft of current Springboks into the Stormers and Bulls, after both sides narrowly lost their matches last week overseas.
The Stormers and Bulls chose to rest their Bok players who had been on duty in Perth, planning to have them in the starting blocks for this weekend’s crunch clashes against the Sharks and the Lions respectively.
The latter two teams, meanwhile, made hay while the sun shone in South Africa during the opening two URC rounds, with the Sharks banking a full house 10 points to head the 16-team log, while the Lions reaped nine points and are third.
The Sharks brought their Boks straight back into the mix last week, all six featuring prominently in a statement defeat of champions Leinster. The Lions did the same at home against the Ospreys, although their Bok contingent is limited to Morne van den Berg and Quan Horn.
One way to look at these two derbies is that the visiting teams — the Sharks and the Lions — have confidence and momentum, but the Stormers and Bulls have home-ground advantage and high-quality reinforcements.
First up is the 1.30pm match at Loftus Versfeld. The early kick-off is to avoid a possible Highveld thunderstorm as the summer rainy season approaches.
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has tactfully spoken about a “difficult” travel week, with the squad arriving home as late as Tuesday from their 26-22 loss to Munster, and with several players suffering illness en route.
Still, when you look at a team overhauled with influential players in Handre Pollard, Canan Moodie, Cameron Hanekom, Marco van Staden, Elrigh Louw, Cobus Wiese, Johan Grobbelaar, and Gerhard Steenekamp, it is difficult not to predict a Bulls win.
But I predict it will be closer than many think. Bulls to win by seven or less.
In Cape Town at 4pm, it is something similar where seven starting Springboks from the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series slot into the Stormers lineup in front of close to 50000 supporters.
Unquestionably, the Sharks are a different team this season. They have shown urgency and intent we haven’t seen for years, plus a willingness to attack relentlessly, spearheaded by a cavalier brigade of young backs.
This visit to the Cape will gauge just how far the Sharks have come, and let’s be fair, only two rounds of the URC are behind us.
To give context, consider the following two matchups in key positions. At fullback it is arguably the world’s premier fullback, Damiaan Willemse, against shiny new pin Zekhethelo Siyaya. At flyhalf it is 20-year-old Vusi Moyo for the Sharks against one of the biggest names in the game, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
To reiterate, this is a big test for the rebuilding Sharks. They will leave everything out on the field, but I think this will be Stormers by seven or more.
Teams:
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Hanro Liebenberg (captain), 6 Jeandre Rudolph, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Alu Tshakweni, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Cheswill Jooste
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Ethan Adams, 12 Henco van Wyk, 11 Richard Kriel, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horne (captain), 7 Siba Qoma, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 Sebastian Lombard, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Boan Venter. Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 SJ Kotze, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Batho Hlekani, 21 Siba Mahashe, 22 Nico Steyn, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa). Assistant referees: Christopher Allison (South Africa), Jonathan Lottering (South Africa). TMO: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)
Teams:
Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel (captain), 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Neethling Fouché, 19 Riley Norton, 20 Connor Evans, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Haashim Pead, 23 Wandisile Simelane.
Sharks: 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (captain), 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi,7 Manu Tshituka, 6 Matt Romao, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Eduan Swart,1 Ox Nche, Replacements: 16 Esethu Mnebelele, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Stephan Lewies, 21 Nick Hatton, 22 Ivan van Zyl, 23 Gianni Lombard
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa). Assistant referees: Griffin Colby (South Africa), Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa), TMO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
