Preparations Series, Week Three - teams and predictions
BIG NORTH-SOUTH DERBY: South Africa's Europe-bound franchises are finally starting to filter in some of the big names, as the Rainbow Cup participants face off against each other in the next fortnight.
The coaches, without fail, spoke of the need to continue building depth while giving game time to their frontline players.
That ensures a weekend of some intriguing derbies.
The Pumas and Cheetahs get things started on Friday in a non-Europe encounter, before the Bulls host the Stormers in Friday's late game and the Lions are at home to the Sharks on Saturday.
Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White, never one to mince his words, suggested this will be a traditional north-south derby - uncompromising and even brutal.
He said, despite the 'pre-season' preparation nature of the game, it remains a face-off between two traditional rivals.
"That [rivalry] will never change," he said - comparing it to other great domestic rivalries like the Reds against the Waratahs in Aussie Rugby Union or Queensland against New South Wales in Rugby League State of Origin.
"We are facing the Stormers that name a very strong team, even though they haven't named all their frontline players.
"As you know, we have a proud record at Loftus and we want to ensure we retain that factor - making it tough for visiting teams to play here. Even if I try to play it down, we know it is the big north-south derby," White added.
"The north-south derby is always a ferocious affair and this match will be no different."
Stormers coach Labeeb Levy and captain Salmaan Moerat also spoke about the significance of getting a win at Loftus.
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"I don't think any team goes into a game just to get some experience," Levy said, adding: "We [the Stormers] are the underdogs, because of our last two encounters with them [comfortable wins for the Bulls], but we will do whatever we can to get a positive result."
He said they are not there just to 'make up the numbers', they are there to do a job.
Stormers coach Labeeb Levy and captain Salmaan Moerat on playing at Loftus
Moerat, speaking of the negative outcomes in their last two trips to Pretoria, described Friday's game as a "massive derby" and suggested they will "go the distance" against the more fancied home team.
White admitted they are not expecting the visitors to just roll over.
However, it is also important that he sees how his younger payers cope in such a big match.
"The Rainbow Cup is coming, so we have to ensure we have our best combinations," the Bulls mentor said, adding that they also have to build depth for when their Springboks get called up for national duty.
It is pretty much the same scenario across the Jukskei River - where the Lions and Sharks go head-to-head at Ellis Park, with a sprinkling of Springboks coming back into the system.
Elton Jantjies will captain the Lions and Lukhanyo Am leads the Sharks - both World Cup winners
Other names that add to the debate include Wandisile Simelane, Burger Odendaal, Vincent Tshituka, Willem Alberts, Carlu Sadie, Ruan Dreyer, Jannie du Plessis, Aphelele Fassi, Werner Kok, Sanele Nohamba, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Le Roux Roets, Thomas du Toit and Curwin Bosch.
"We know what type of team the Lions are and what threats they bring, but this is a game where our focus is on ourselves as the Sharks, trying to master our own DNA and style of play," Am said,
"It will be exciting playing against a Lions team with a similar style of play, moving the ball around and giving it air.
"From our side, we'll be looking to execute the plan and showcasing our DNA," he added.
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen said the key for him is to get the current group of players - which mostly sat out the first two rounds of the Preparations Series - through 80 minutes of physical contact.
"They have been training for four weeks, so it is time to put that [preparation] to the test," he said.
"We know that in Europe [The Rainbow Cup and Pro16] we will face more 'ball-in-play' time," Van Rooyen said, adding: "They [European teams] don't necessarily kick into touch, they kick infield to contest.
"It is very similar to the Sharks' philosophy, so this will be a good test for us to field their kicks and to see what we can do from there."
He said set-piece play is always important in Europe and he expects the Sharks to test their set pieces on Saturday - especially around mauls and their maul-defence.
Other aspects he felt his team has improved since the post-COVID restart was defence and attack.
All the weekend teams and prediction after the video!
Friday, March 19
Pumas v Cheetahs
(Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit - Kick-off: 16.30; 14.30 GMT)
Predictions
@rugby365com: Cheetahs by eight points
Teams
Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Tapiwa Mafura, 13 Erich Cronjé, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Eddie Fouché, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Francois Kleinhans, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Pieter Janse van Vuren (captain), 4 Darien Landsberg, 3 Marné Coetzee, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Morgan Naudé.
Replacements: 16 Abraham le Roux, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Ruan Kramer, 19 Kwanda Dimaza, 20 Ginter Smuts, 21 Wayne van der Bank, 22 Sebastian de Klerk, 23 Phumzile Maqondwana.
Cheetahs: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Malcolm Jaer, 13 Chris Smit, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Craig Barry, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruan Pienaar (captain), 8 Jacques Potgieter, 7 Teboho Mohoje, 6 Chris Massyn, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Cameron Dawson.
Replacements: 16 Janus Venter, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Aidon Davis, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Rosko Specman.
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadeweni & Paul Mente
TMO: Aimee Barrett-Theron
Bulls v Stormers
(Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria - Kick-off: 19.00; 17.00 GMT)
Predictions
@rugby365com: Bulls by 12 points
Teams
Bulls: 15 Richard Kriel, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Zak Burger, 8 Nizaam Carr (captain), 7 Werner Gouws, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Janko Swanepoel, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Joe van Zyl, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements – from: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Jacques van Rooyen, 19 Jan Uys, 20 Tim Agaba, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Diego Appollis, 24 Nolan Pienaar, 25 Raynard Roets, 26 Marnus Potgieter.
Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Leon Lyons.
Replacements – from: 16 Siybonga Ntubeni, 17 Alister Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 John Schickerling, 20 Johan du Toit, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Tim Swiel, 24 Chris Schreuder, 25 Cornel Smit.
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Griffin Colby, Morne Ferreira
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen
Saturday, March 20
Lions v Sharks
(Ellis Park, Johannesburg - Kick-off: 16.15; 14.15 GMT)
Predictions
@rugby365com: Sharks by nine points
Teams
Lions: 15 Tiaan Swanepoel; 14 Ngia Selengbe, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Courtnall Skosan; 10 Elton Jantjies (captain), 9 André Warner; 8 Francke Horn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 MJ Pelser, 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Ruan Dreyer.
Replacements: Pieter Botha, Nathan McBeth, Jannie du Plessis, Reinhard Nothnagel, Sibusiso Sangweni, Ross Cronjé, Fred Zeilinga, Dan Kriel.
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Mpilo Gumede, 6 Henco Venter, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 John-Hubert Meyer, 2 Dan Jooste, 1 Mzamo Majola.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Emile van Heerden, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Marius Louw.
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs, Griffin Colby
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen
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