The clash at Hollywoodbets Kings Park between the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers will be action-packed after the KwaZulu-Natalians surprised the Capetonians on their home patch last week with a 30-19 victory, which brought their unbeaten run in the competition to an abrupt halt and resulted in them losing their first-place standing on the table.
The victory marked the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ second in a row following their comprehensive 50-12 victory against Clermont in the Investec Champions Cup, while the DHL Stormers’ defeat marked only their second across both competitions this season.
The Cape side will draw inspiration from the fact that they have won all four of their away games in the Vodacom URC to date, but they will certainly not underestimate the hosts, who have everything to gain in the final stretch of the pool stages as the scramble for quarter-final places intensifies.
The statistics may favour the Capetonians, who have scored 250 points to 186 by the Durbanites, and conceded 125 points to 234 by the home side, but last week’s result rubberstamped the fact that anything could happen in derby matches, meaning neither team will feel that they are the firm favourites going into the clash.
There’s a new front row for the Sharks, which is amongst a handful of changes to the side, Ox Nche, Fez Mbatha and Hanro Jacobs all start, as does Corne Rahl, ahead of Jason Jenkins, who has been listed amongst the replacements.
Phepsi Buthelezi remains the only loose-forward who started last week, he’s joined by Siya Kolisi and Vincent Tshituka, who both played off the bench last week.
The backline sees Grant Williams starting ahead of Jaden Hendrikse, the pair swapping jerseys for this match, and Edwill van der Merwe replacing Yaw Penxe on the wing in the final change to the starting XV.
There are several changes to the Stormers' matchday squad.
Damian Willemse lines up at fullback this week, with Jonathan Roche at inside centre and Dylan Maart on the right wing in the three changes to the starting backline. Stefan Ungerer, Jurie Matthee and Warrick Gelant are the backs set to make an impact from the replacements bench in the second half.
Up front, Oli Kebble starts at loosehead prop, and there is an all-new lock pairing of Ruben van Heerden and a fit-again Adré Smith.
In the loose trio, Evan Roos makes his return at the back of the scrum, while props Ntuthuko Mchunu and Zachary Porthen and lock JD Schickerling are among the replacements this week.
Teams:
Hollywoodbets Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Jaco Williams, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Nick Hatton, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Jurenzo Julius.
DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (c), 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Oli Kebble. Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Stefan Ungerer, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Warrick Gelant.