All eyes will be on Gauteng today as the four South African teams in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship set their sights squarely on climbing up the standings as they take the field in their fourth consecutive round of derbies. The Vodacom Bulls will host the Cell C Sharks in Pretoria at 17h00 in the second of the two local derbies.
The South African franchises have the luxury of a game or two in hand against most of their rivals, and victories for the DHL Stormers, Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls, in particular, could see them possibly make the jump into the upper half of the log.
The Vodacom Bulls will look to build on their two victories in a row when they host the Cell C Sharks at Loftus Versfeld, while the Durbanites will look to bounce back from their defeat against the DHL Stormers last week and a draw two weeks ago.
Both teams are currently tried on 16 log points, with the Cell C Sharks one position ahead in 11th place because of their superior points difference, meaning the winning side will get a handy nudge up the standings.
On paper, the Sharks should be the favourites and since the Bulls started to lose games at fortress Loftus one can not fault the punters who have the Sharks as the favourites for today.
I can not see the Bulls dominating up front although they looked a lot better against the Lions than what they did against the Sharks a few weeks ago. However, I do believe that the Bulls have the upper hand with the ball in hand upfront that has won them several games.
At the back, the Sharks have several game-breakers while unfortunately, the Bulls have only Madosh Tambwe who can create tries from nothing.
Again, the Sharks must be the favourites? Mmmm I do think that the Bulls will walk away with a win after a very close game based on a rock-solid defence and brilliant loosie combination.
The Vodacom Bulls are bracing themselves for a heated battle. David Kriel will make a return to the side, starting at fullback, this weekend while Cornal Hendricks will also earn a starting berth on the right wing in the only changes to the backline in the starting XV.
Gerhard Steenekamp will be the only new face to the forwards pack that started against the Emirates Lions last week. He changes spots with Simphiwe Matanzima in a rotational switch, as the former makes his way to the bench.
The Vodacom Bulls are wary of the threat that will be a Springbok-laden Cell C Sharks side that will be looking to bounce back after suffering a defeat against the DHL Stormers last weekend.
“The Cell C Sharks are always a formidable opponent, and we will have to be at our best when we face a side that is so full of talent,” Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White.
“For us to face a team with the SA Rugby Player of the Year, Siya Kolisi is a challenge we should look forward to. Furthermore, it is also inspirations to be able to play a domestic derby against the captain of the national team who also collects all of these accolades for his performance on and off the field. It certainly is inspiring that we have players of his calibre who choose to remain and play domestically when he could easily take up a contract elsewhere.
“This will be a great opportunity for youngsters like Elrigh Louw to be able to go up against an inspirational character like Siya. Then you also have players like Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Bongi Mbonambi and a host of others in that Cell C Sharks team whom our guys will want to measure themselves against in a premier competition like the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.
“We can look forward to a thrilling game at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.”
Log positions are important for the Cell C Sharks, but a clinical, accurate, calm and disciplined performance will have been the talk in the camp during the week.
After the Cell C Sharks 30-16 first round victory at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in early December, they know that they need to look forward, not backwards. A strong performance against a physical Bulls side is vital and the team must match their opposition’s best efforts with relentless physicality of their own.
Cell C Sharks head coach Sean Everitt has made three changes to last week’s side, giving Gerbrandt Grobler a start in the second row with hard-working fellow lock Ruben van Heerden playing off the bench. In the other change to the pack, the vastly experienced Henco Venter comes in for the impressive youngster Jeandre Labuschagne at flank.
After big performances leading the Cell C Sharks in the Carling Currie Cup, Marius Louw is called up to the URC side where he slots in at centre, with captain Lukhanyo Am moving back to his regular position at outside centre in place of Jeremy Ward.
More commanding performances at Currie Cup level have been just reward for the Springbok duo of loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe and flyhalf Curwin Bosch, both of whom returned from injury to play important roles in last week’s 35-20 victory over DHL Western Province. The pair have been selected on the bench for this match.
Weather: 29° Celsius, partly cloudy with no rain expected and no wind to mention.
Prediction: Vodacom Bulls by 7.
Vodacom Bulls: 15. David Kriel, 14. Cornal Hendricks, 13. Lionel Mapoe, 12. Harold Vorster, 11. Madosh Tambwe, 10. Morne Steyn, 9. Zak Burger, 8. Elrigh Louw, 7. Arno Botha, 6. Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Walt Steenkamp, 3. Jacques van Rooyen, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16. Bismarck du Plessis, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Robert Hunt, 19. Janko Swanepoel, 20. Muller Uys, 21. Embrose Papier, 22. Chris Smith, 23. Canan Moodie.
Cell C Sharks: 15. Aphelele Fassi, 14. Sibusiso Nkosi, 13. Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12. Marius Louw, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 10. Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 9. Jaden Hendrikse, 8. Phepsi Buthelezi, 7. Henco Venter, 6. Siyamthanda Kolisi, 5. Hyron Andrews, 4. Gerbrandt Grobler, 3. Thomas du Toit, 2. Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1. Retshegofaditswe Nché. Replacements: 16. Kerron van Vuuren, 17. Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18. Khutha Mchunu, 19. Ruben van Heerden, 20. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21. Grant Williams, 22. Curwin Bosch, 23. Werner Kok.
