Big weekend for Gauteng teams

While Emirates Lions head coach Johan Ackermann brought in massive changes to his side, Vodacom Bulls are also considering bringing back their big guns.

Both teams have failed to clinch wins in their first two outings in the Vodacom Super Rugby matches, and are looking forward to host their coastal counterparts for much anticipated derbies over the weekend.

Emirates Lions will play log leaders DHL Stormers at Emirates Airlines Park on Saturday February 28. The match will kick off at 19:10. Vodacom Bulls will host Cell C Sharks at Loftus earlier in the afternoon.

Round 3 kicks off on Friday morning in Dunedin, with the first local match later that day in Bloemfontein, where the Toyota Cheetahs will be taking on the touring Blues from Auckland.

Ackermann bring in changes

“We are purely looking at what the players can offer us in this match and we are rotating some of the players,” said Ackermann. “We are going on tour and want to make sure that the players we are taking will supplement the team.”

Ackermann has made several changes to both the starting line-up and the bench.

In the forwards, Schalk van der Merwe, Robbie Coetzee and Julian Redelinghuys all start, while Jaco Kriel returns from his minor groin injury at flank.

Meanwhile, in the backline, Faf de Klerk has been named at scrumhalf with Elton Jantjies, partnering with him at flyhalf. Sampie Mastriet will play his first Vodacom Super Rugby game for the Emirates Lions as he runs out at left wing. Harold Vorster will also celebrate his first Vodacom Super Rugby start at centre.

Most notably on the bench, Jaco van der Walt has been called up to cover the flyhalf position. He will celebrate his Vodacom Super Rugby debut should he run on.

Tickets are available from just R40 via Lionsrugby.computicket.com.

The teams are:

Emirates Lions: Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Sampie Mastriet, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Warren Whiteley (captain), Warwick Tecklenburg, Jaco Kriel, Martin Muller, Franco Mostert, Julian Redelinghuys, Robbie Coetzee, Schalk van der Merwe. Replacements: Armand van der Merwe, Corné Fourie, Ruan Dreyer, Robert Kruger, Derick Minnie, Ross Cronje, Jaco van der Walt, Howard Mnisi.

DHL Stormers: Cheslin Kolbe, Johnny Kotze, Juan de Jongh, Damian de Allende, Dillyn Leyds, Demetri Catrakilis, Nic Groom, Duane Vermeulen (captain), Michael Rhodes, Nizaam Carr, Ruan Botha, Jurie van Vuuren, Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: Scarra Ntubeni, Oli Kebble, Frans Malherbe, Manuel Carizza, Siya Kolisi, Louis Schreuder, Kurt Coleman, Huw Jones.

Vodacom Bulls vs Cell C Sharks

Bulls Head coach Frans Ludeke made his changes. Rudy Paige comes in at scrumhalf for his first start of the season for the Vodacom Bulls, for Piet van Zyl.

Bulls’ bench shows three changes – Springbok prop Marcel van der Merwe is back from injury, while Travis Ismaiel and Tian Schoeman could make their Vodacom Super Rugby debut if they get game time.

Dayan van der Westhuizen, Van Zyl and Jacques-Louis Potgieter are not in the match 23 this weekend.

For the Cell C Sharks, the inclusion of Springbok No 8 Ryan Kankowski and Junior Springbok centre André Esterhuizen are the only changes to the starting team.

They replace Tera Mtembu and Heimar Williams respectively, both of whom will miss the trip to Pretoria.

On the Cell C Sharks’ bench, Bok prop Lourens Adriaanse is in line for their first appearance of the season, while outside back Jack Wilson could make his Vodacom Super Rugby debut, while Fred Zeilinga is bracketed with Lionel Cronjé.

Four members of last year’s Junior Springbok team will be in action – Jesse Kriel and Handré Pollard for the home side, and André Esterhuizen and Thomas du Toit for the visitors.

The teams are:

Vodacom Bulls: Jesse Kriel, Bjorn Basson, JJ Engelbrecht, Jan Serfontein, Francois Hougaard, Handré Pollard, Rudy Paige, Pierre Spies (captain), Lappies Labuschagne, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield, Jacques du Plessis, Trevor Nyakane, Adriaan Strauss, Morné Mellett. Replacements: Callie Visagie, Dean Greyling, Marcel van der Merwe, Grant Hattingh, Hanro Liebenberg, Tian Schoeman, Travis Ismaiel, Jurgen Visser.

Cell C Sharks: SP Marais, Odwa Ndungane, Waylon Murray, André Esterhuizen, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Ryan Kankowski, Renaldo Bothma, Marcell Coetzee, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Lubabalo Mtyanda, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis (captain), Dale Chadwick. Replacements: Kyle Cooper, Thomas du Toit, Lourens Adriaanse, Marco Wentzel, Jean Deysel, Conrad Hoffmann, Fred Zeilinga / Lionel Cronjé, Jack Wilson.

Toyota Cheetahs v Blues

Toyoata Cheetahs will play against the Blues at home on Friday evening. Cornal Hendricks, who scored his first-ever Vodacom Super Rugby try against the Blues in Auckland last year, will start his first match of the season in the place of Clayton Blommetjies.

Carl Wegner takes over in the second row from the injured Lood de Jager for his first start at this level.

Johann Sadie, back from club duty in Japan, is on the Toyota Cheetahs’ bench, next to Tienie Burger, who is in line for a Vodacom Super Rugby debut.

The teams are:

Toyota Cheetahs: Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks, Francois Venter, Michael van der Spuy, Raymond Rhule, Joe Pietersen, Sarel Pretorius, Willie Britz, Oupa Mohoje, Jean Cook, Francois Uys (captain), Carl Wegner, Coenie Oosthuizen, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Danie Mienie. Replacements: Stephan Coetzee, BG Uys, Maks van Dyk, Tienie Burger, Boom Prinsloo, Tian Meyer, Willie du Plessis, Johann Sadie.

Blues: Lolagi Visinia, Melani Nanai, Charles Piutau, Hamish Northcott, Tevita Li, Ihaia West, Jimmy Cowan, Jerome Kaino (captain), Brendon O’Connor, Luke Braid, Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Bekhuis, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons, Tony Woodcock. Replacements: Matt Moulds, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Angus Ta’avao, Steven Luatua, Akira Ioane, Jamison Gibson-Park, Simon Hickey, Francis Saili.

Other fixtures (SA kick-off times):

Friday, February 27:

08:35: Highlanders v Reds – Dunedin

13:00: Force v Hurricanes – Perth

Saturday February 28:

08:35: Chiefs v Crusaders – Hamilton

10:40: Rebels v Brumbies – Melbourne

Bye: Waratahs