The DHL Stormers will host the Hollywoodbets Sharks in a United Rugby Championship (URC) clash today at 19:30 (SA Time). The match at the DHL Stadium, which is expected to be a sell-out crowd of 54,000, is a crucial local derby that precedes another meeting between the two sides next weekend.
The Stormers enter the match as firm favourites, being the only unbeaten team in the URC this season and topping the standings, while the Sharks are currently in 14th place.
The DHL Stormers boast 231 points to the KwaZulu-Natalians’ 156, while also holding the bragging rights as the best defensive team in the competition, with only 95 points conceded to their coastal counterparts’ 215.
However, the table-topping hosts must be careful not to underestimate the Hollywoodbets Sharks, who will enter the match with confidence following their comprehensive 50-12 victory against Clermont in Durban last week.
Although history and form mean nothing in the South African derbies, the Sharks have never won a URC match against the Stormers in Cape Town (0-4 record), but recent encounters have been tight.
We are expecting a battle between two gameplans as the Stormers' game is built on tempo and continuity, which they leverage effectively at home with a flatter and faster style of play, while the Sharks are at their best in slower, more physical games and will need a full 23-man effort to secure a win, explaining their Springbok-laden bench.
The Stormers have been boosted by the return of three Springboks in their backline for the Vodacom URC derby against the Hollywoodbets Sharks at DHL Stadium on Saturday.
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, inside centre Damian Willemse and fullback Warrick Gelant are back in the starting line-up for the coastal clash, which kicks off at 19h30 on Saturday.
Reinach partners captain Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at halfback, while Willemse slots into midfield alongside Wandisile Simelane, with Gelant at the back, where he will link up with Leolin Zas and Suleiman Hartzenberg.
Imad Khan and Jurie Matthee are the two backs on the replacement bench, which also sees forwards Sazi Sandi, Salmaan Moerat and Louw Nel come into the matchday squad.
The front row of Ntuthuko Mchunu, Neethling Fouché and André-Hugo Venter start together once again, with Connor Evans and JD Schickerling the lock pairing.
There has been one change to the loose trio, with Marcel Theunissen coming in for Evan Roos, who has been rested as a precaution with a minor groin strain.
The Sharks’ side has a strong Springbok influence from 1 to 23, the bench offering an imposing look about it, and the players that come on will bring vast experience, as well as an expectation on them to deliver the same kind of ruthlessness that was shown against Clermont last Saturday.
Changes to the side see a rotational switch on both sides of the front row, Phatu Ganyane and Vincent Koch in for Ox Nche and Hanro Jacobs, while Corne Rahl makes way for Emile van Heerden, and in the final change to the pack, Phepsi Buthelezi starts ahead of Matt Romao at loose-forward.
Amongst the backs, Jaco Williams comes onto the wing, Andre Esterhuizen takes over the captaincy and the number 12 jersey, with Jurenzo Julius providing cover off the bench, and finally Ethan Hooker starts in place of Le Roux Malan at outside centre.
Teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (c), 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Ruben van Heerden, 21 Louw Nel, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Jurie Matthee.
Hollywoodbets Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Jaco Williams, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Nick Hatton, 7 Manu Tshituka, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Phatu Ganyane. Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Vincent Tshituka, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Jurenzo Julius.