On Friday evening, the Stormers take on Welsh side Dragons at Rodney Parade and are looking to end their tour on a high as they are the only SA team without a win so far.
The Stormers played out to a 20-20 draw with Edinburgh on 9 October 2021. Picture: @THESTORMERS/Twitter.
CPE TOWN – Everything and the kitchen sink are what the South African teams are looking to throw at their opponents in the final round of the away leg of the United Rugby Championship this weekend.
Last week, the South African teams managed two wins from four games, which is vastly better than the previous week where no touring team got the “w” – as they say.
This is what’s coming up:
On Friday evening, the Stormers take on Welsh side Dragons at Rodney Parade and are looking to end their tour on a high as they are the only SA team without a win so far. The Dragons have only one victory in the competition after three rounds, which means it’s all to play for in Wales.
The only change to the forward pack sees loose forward Junior Pokomela making his debut for the Stormers at flank.
Five changes to the backline see Stefan Ungerer and Manie Libbok take their places in the starting line-up, along with centres Dan du Plessis and Ruhan Nel and wing Leolin Zas, who all started the week before against Munster.
Lions starting team:
15 Divan Rossouw
14 Stean Pienaar
13 Manuel Rass
12 Burger Odendaal (Captain)
11 Rabz Maxwane
10 Ew Viljoen
9 Andre Warner
8 Ruhan Straeuli
7 Vincent Tshituka
6 Sibusiso Sangweni
5 Reinhard Nothnagel
4 Ruben Schoeman
3 Carlu Sadie
2 Jaco Visagie
1 Sti Sithole
Replacements: 16 Pj Botha, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Wilhelm Van Der Sluys, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Morne van den Berg, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Wandisile Simelane
Ulster starting team:
15 Will Addison
14 Craig Gilroy
13 James Hume
12 Stewart Moore
11 Ethan Mcilroy
10 Billy Burns
9 Nathan Doak
8 David Mccann
7 Nick Timoney
6 Matty Rea
5 Sam Carter (Captain)
4 Alan O’Connor
3 Tom O’Toole
2 Rob Herring
1 Andrew Warwick
Replacements: Brad Roberts, Eric O’Sullivan, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell, Sean Reidy, David Shanahan, Mike Lowry, Ben Moxham.
Kick Off for both these games is 20:35
Moving on to Saturday, the Bulls will look to make it back-to-back wins when they take on Edinburgh – the Scottish team that consists of more than one South African in the form of Jaco van der Walt, Pierre Schoeman and Luan de Bruin.
Coach Jake White has kept the same backline as the previous week, but there are changes to the forwards. Lizo Gqoboka and Mornay Smith are the starting props while there’s a new loose trio with captain Marcell Coetzee playing alongside Arno Botha at blindside flanker and Muller Uys at No 8.
Young Gun, Chris Smith will start at flyhalf with veteran Morne Steyn named on the bench.
Bulls Starting Team:
15 David Kriel
14 Madosh Tambwe
13 Cornal Hendricks
12 Harold Vorster
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse
10 Chris Smith
9 Embrose Papier
8 Muller Uys
7 Arno Botha
6 Marcell Coetzee (Captain)
5 Ruan Nortje
4 Janko Swanepoel
3 Mornay Smith
2 Bismarck Du Plessis
1 Lizo Gqoboka
Replacements: 16 Schalk Erasmus, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Walt Steenkamp, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 22 Morne Steyn, 23 Lionel Mapoe
Edinburgh starting team:
15 Henry Immelman
14 Darcy Graham
13 Mark Bennett
12 James Lang
11 Damien Hoyland
10. Jaco van der Walt
9. Charlie Shiel
8. Viliame Mata
7. Luke Crosbie
6. Magnus Bradbury
5. Grant Gilchrist (Captain)
4. Marshall Sykes
3. Luan De Bruin
2. Stuart Mcinally
1. Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16. Dave Cherry (39) 17. Boan Venter (10) 18. Wp Nel (159) 19. Pierce Phillips (1) 20. Mesu Kunavula (13) 21. Connor Boyle (9) 22. Ben Vellacott (3) 23. James Johnstone (67)
Kick-off is at 18:15
Then we’ve got the Sharks, also in Wales, who take on Cardiff Rugby in the final game of the weekend.
Three changes to the Durban side’s starting team, Dylan Richardson coms in for James Venter and Henco Venter shifts from eighth man to flank to accommodate the return of captain Phepsi Buthelezi with Gerbrandt Grobler playing off the bench.
Curwin Bosch is back at fullback with Anthony Volmink starting on the wing for an injured Thaakir Abrahams.
Sharks starting team:
15 Curwin Bosch
14 Marnus Potgieter
13 Jeremy Ward
12 Murray Koster
11 Anthony Volmink
10 Boeta Chamberlain
9 Ruan Pienaar
8 Phepsi Buthelezi (Captain)
7 Henco Venter
6 Dylan Richardson
5 Hyron Andrews
4 Ruben Van Heerden
3 Thomas Du Toit
2 Kerron Van Vuuren
1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Reniel Hugo, 20 Gerbrandt Grobler, 21 James Venter, 22 Tian Meyer, 23 Werner Kok
Cardiff Rugby starting team:
15 Matthew Morgan
14 Aled Summerhill
13 Owen Lane
12 Willis Halaholo
11 Josh Adams
10 Rhys Priestland
9 Tomos Williams
8 Will Boyde
7 Ellis Jenkins
6 Josh Turnbull (Captain)
5 Rory Thornton
4 Seb Davies
3 Dillon Lewis
2 Kirby Myhill
1 Rhys Carré
Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Dmitri Arhip, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Ben Thomas, 23 Hallam Amos
Kick-off is at 20:35
Download the Eyewitness News app to your iOS or Android device.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
