Lions will keep an eye on Sharks in Super Rugby encounter

Emirates Lions are very wary of the fact that Cell C Sharks will come out firing after their first round loss at home in the second round of Vodacom Super Rugby over the weekend.

Both sides took a knock when they unexpectedly lost their first round encounter on home soil. “We know that the Sharks will be a difficult team to beat at home, especially after they lose against the Cheetahs last weekend,” said head coach Johan Ackermann.

“They have many Springboks in their side and are one of the top teams in Super Rugby, but we are going to focus on what we do correctly and not lose our concentration.”

Ackerman named an unchanged back line for their encounter in Durban, but have made several changes up front.

Jacques van Rooyen comes in at loose-head prop. Schalk van der Merwe shifts to the bench to provide cover. Jaco Kriel has been withdrawn due to the recurrence of a groin injury. As a result, Derick Minnie will start as left flanker, and Warwick Tecklenburg is called up to the starting lineup to fill the right flank berth.

Back in the squad and on the bench will be both Robbie Coetzee and Julian Redelinghuys, who have recovered from their respective injuries and have been called up to cover the hooker and prop berths respectively.

Twenty-year-old lock JP du Preez will aim to make his Vodacom Super Rugby, and Ruaan Lerm will provide loose-forward cover and is also a potential debutant.

Centre Harold Vorster has been drafted in and will also make his Vodacom Super Rugby debut, should he play on Saturday. All three of these players have worked their way through the Golden Lions junior ranks.

The kick-off is at 19:10.

The teams are:

Cell C Sharks: SP Marais, Odwa Ndungane, Waylon Murray, Heimar Williams, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Tera Mtembu, 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, Matt Stevens, Marco Wentzel, Jean Deysel, Conrad Hoffmann, Fred Zeilinga, André Esterhuizen.

Emirates Lions: Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe, Howard Mnisi, Courtnall Skosan, Marnitz Boshoff, Ross Cronje, Warren Whiteley (captain), Warwick Tecklenburg, Derick Minnie, Franco Mostert, Martin Muller, Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Jacques van Rooyen. Replacements: Robbie Coetzee, Schalk van der Merwe, Julian Redelinghuys, JP du Preez, Ruaan Lerm, Faf de Klerk, Elton Jantjies, Harold Vorster.

Century beckons for Duane Vermeulen

In the meantime South African Rugby Player of the Year for 2014 and Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen will make his 100th Vodacom Super Rugby appearance this weekend.

Vermeulen, who was also a nominee for World Player of the Year last season, will become the 32nd South African to reach this magical mark and the first in 2015. He will play his 80th match for the DHL Stormers and also has 20 Toyota Cheetahs caps to his name.

DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls both face opposition from New Zealand this weekend. The Blues will be in action in Cape Town on Saturday February 21 afternoon and the Hurricanes are in Pretoria on Friday February 20.

The weekend will conclude with a South African derby in Durban, where the Cell C Sharks and Emirates Lions will be looking for their first victory of 2015.

Vodacom Bulls v Hurricanes

South African u.20 star Jesse Kriel will start his first match at this level for the Vodacom Bulls. Three changes to the Vodacom Bulls’ pack – Pierre Spies comes in at No 8 for Arno Botha, Morné Mellett at loose-head prop and Trevor Nyakane moves to tight-head. Spies takes over the captaincy from Victor Matfield, while Nyakane replaces the injured Werner Kruger, opening a spot for Dean Greyling on the bench.

Hanro Liebenberg, younger brother of former Junior Springbok captain Wiaan, will make his Vodacom Super Rugby debut if he gets game time off the bench.

All Black midfielder Ma’a Nonu is back for the Hurricanes, his first match for the team from Wellington since 2011. Manawatu flanker Callum Gibbins will get his first start for the ‘Canes.

The teams are:

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

Hurricanes: Jason Woodward, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith (captain), Ma’a Nonu, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Blade Thomson, Callum Gibbens, Brad Shields, James Broadhurst, Mark Abbott, Ben Franks, Dane Coles, Reggie Goodes. Replacements: Brayden Mitchell, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Chris Eves, Ardie Savea, Victor Vito, Chris Smylie, James Marshall, Matt Proctor.

DHL Stormers vs Blues

DHL Stormers starting XV shows only one change from last weekend, at lock where Jurie van Vuuren comes in for the injured Jean Kleyn. Springbok flanker Siya Kolisi is back in the team and will start from the bench in the place of Van Vuuren, with Rynardt Elstadt and Michael Rhodes providing lock cover.

The teams are:

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

Blues: Charles Piutau, Ben Lam, Hamish Northcot, Francis Saili, Tevita Li / Lolaga Visinia, Ihaia West, Jimmy Cowan, Jerome Kaino (captain), Brendon O’Connor / Luke Braid / Akira Ioane, Steven Luatua, Hayden Triggs / Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Bekhuis/Tuipulotu, Angus Ta’avao/Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons, Tony Woodcock. Replacements: Matt Moulds/Greg Pleasants-Tate, Ofa Tu’ungafasi/Sam Prattley, Faumuina/Ta’avao, Tuipulotu/Triggs / Bekhuis, Braid/Ioane/O’Connor, Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Bowden, Visinia/Li.

Other fixtures (SA kick-off times):

Friday February 20:

08:35: Chiefs v Brumbies – New Plymouth

10:40: Rebels v Waratahs– Melbourne

Saturday February 21:

08:35: Highlanders v Crusaders – Dunedin

10:40: Reds v Force – BrisbaneBye: Toyota Cheetahs