Share

Stormers, Sharks set for humdinger

Cape Town - Two of the four unbeaten sides left in Super Rugby face off at Newlands on Saturday as the Stormers and Sharks battle for top spot in the South African conference.

It's possible that this could be a clash of the only remaining unbeaten teams as the game in Cape Town will close Round 3, which sees the Lions and Brumbies - who are also two from two - both on the road.

Solid wins from the opening fortnight have meant a positive start to the Robbie Fleck era. The bonus-point victory over the Bulls followed by the Stormers' first win in Bloemfontein since 2012 both came largely thanks to set-piece domination (although the scrum wobbled slightly against the Cheetahs.) 

The form of the starting tight-five, and their replacements off the bench, has mitigated the loss of young playmaker Robert du Preez, whose 12-week injury layoff has forced Fleck to bring another rookie into the flyhalf mix with Jean-Luc du Plessis joining the bench.

Although the Sharks have matched their hosts this weekend in picking up nine points from their openers, any result against the Kings must be taken with a pinch of salt and the Jaguares' poor discipline meant the Sharks were able to get away with a massive error count at Kings Park last Saturday.

Marcell Coetzee's eye-catching performance was a highlight though and his battle - in partnership with the Du Preez twins - against a reshuffled Stormers loose trio should be watched closely. 

Out wide, an ageing Odwa Ndungane's lack of pace was exposed badly last weekend and young Leolin Zas will be licking his lips at the prospect of showing up his much more experienced opposite number. 

Although the Sharks are missing Pat Lambie, Joe Pietersen is a vastly experienced campaigner. He and Willie le Roux will be sure to test Kurt Coleman's ability to control the game tactically. Coleman passed his first test against the Cheetahs, but he may face a sterner examination this time around.

The Stormers' tackling stats are the best in the competition (with an average of only eight missed tackles per game so far) but the Sharks have made the most metres over the gainline of any side in Super Rugby in 2016, at an average of 550m.

Something's got to give. 

The last time these teams met: The Sharks beat a second-string Stormers side 34-12 in the final game of the 2015 regular season, outscoring their visitors five tries to none in an error-strewn affair at Kings Park. The result had zero impact on the overall standings as the Stormers had already booked their place in the playoffs as the winners of the South African Conference.

Players to watch: Springbok tighthead prop Frans Malherbe makes his first start of the season having impressed off the bench and will scrum against fellow Bok Tendai Mtawarira. The 'Beast' captains the Sharks and his battle with the Stormers' co-captain at scrum time could set the tone for the entire game. 

Team news: Fleck has made four changes, including a positional switch, to his starting line-up. There is just one injury-enforced change to the backline, with Coleman stepping in at flyhalf. This means that Jean-Luc du Plessis could make his Super Rugby debut if he comes off the bench. In the front row, props JC Janse van Rensburg and Malherbe get their first opportunity to start this season, with Oli Kebble and Vincent Koch taking their respective places on the replacements bench. Siya Kolisi will also get his first start too, with Schalk Burger taking the No 8 jersey and Nizaam Carr moving to No 6 in place of Sikhumbuzo Notshe, who is set for an impact role from the bench.

The Sharks lineup is unchanged.

Form: The Sharks are aiming for a sixth consecutive win in Super Rugby; the last time they went on a longer run was between 2006 and 2007 when they won a club record eight straight games. The spoils are split at three wins apiece in the six games since the Sharks beat the Stormers 26-19 in the 2012 semi-finals.

Predictions: History suggests we could be in for a close one. These teams have faced each other 25 times, with the Cape side winning 12 matches and the Durban team 13, with an average score of 21-21. Home-field advantage should seen the Stormers home by 7.

Recent results:

2015: Sharks won 34-12 in Durban
2015: Stormers won 29-13 in Cape Town
2014: Sharks won 34-10 in Cape Town
2014: Stormers won 21-19 in Durban
2013: Stormers won 22-15 in Cape Town
2013: Sharks won 12-6 in Durban
2012: Sharks won 26-19 in Cape Town
2012: Sharks won 25-20 in Durban
2012: Stormers won 15-12 in Cape Town    

Teams:

Stormers

15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Juan de Jongh (co-captain), 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe (co-captain), 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg

Substitutes: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 23 Huw Jones.

Sharks

15 Willie Le Roux, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Tendai Mtawarira (captain)

Substitutes: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Philip van der Walt, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Garth April 23, S’bura Sithole

Date: Saturday, March 12
Venue:Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17:15 local
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe, Stuart Berry
TMO: Marius Jonker

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE