Durban - It’s business as usual for South Africa’s United Rugby Championship teams tomorrow when local derbies are once more the order of the day after 16 matches involving the teams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy.
Collectively, the Sharks, Stormers, Lions and Bulls smashed the Europeans 15-1 and now they square up to each other to see just how far they have progressed.
In the first round, the Sharks were too strong for the Lions up at Emirates Airline Park while the Stormers shocked the Bulls in Pretoria.
Both losing teams will be bent on revenge and given that both the Lions and the Bulls are on hot winning streaks, they will fancy their chances in Durban and Cape Town respectively.
Sharks coach Sean Everitt reckons tomorrow’s doubleheader of derbies will be revealing.
“All our teams have improved as the competition has gone on and that is to be expected when teams have played together for a while, and with the competition being on-off for a while, we have had a nice string of fixtures,” he said. “This weekend will be a good measure of where we all are.”
Looking specifically at the Sharks’ opponents at Hollywoodbets Kings Park (4pm kickoff), Everitt said the Lions have come a long way from where they were (nine consecutive defeats).
“If you look at their results, since (flyhalf) Jordan Hendrikse has been back they have improved a great deal, and (scrumhalf) Morne van den Berg is playing really well,” Everitt said. “But you also have to give credit to their defence, they defend with a lot of energy and character and that is the area they have improved in the most.
“Jordan is probably the in-form flyhalf in the country — he has a good kicking game so we must make sure we do not give them the opportunities that other teams have given them lately,” Everitt added.
Possibly the biggest danger posed by the Lions, though, is upfront where their brutal scrum has been spearheaded by the powerful Carlu Sadie.
“There has been a lot of talk about the Lions’ scrum and deservedly so,” Everitt agreed. “They have the most effective scrum in terms of statistics and have won the most penalties, and that allows their loose forwards to get into the game and they are playing really well (Vincent Tshituka is in fine form).”
By the same token, the Sharks’ scrum is going great guns and that is significant given that it was the Sharks’ weakness not that long ago.
“Our scrum is going really well,” Everitt said. “We have been getting ascendancy over the opposition which has given us good field position. It will be an interesting tussle on Saturday. We have the incumbent Springbok front row and they will be up against the wannabees. Obviously, we know they pose a threat as they did when we played them at Ellis Park in the first round."
Unsurprisingly, Everitt has mostly opted for continuity in selecting his team.
Last week the Sharks bounced back from their loss to Edinburgh by smashing the Dragons 51-3 and Everitt has limited changes to a few rotational switches, including bringing back Siya Kolisi for James Venter.
Interestingly, Thomas du Toit retains the captaincy and Kolisi will be the vice-captain.
Reniel Hugo returns to the starting second row with Le Roux Roets shifting to the bench and in the final change to the pack, Henco Venter comes in for Jeandre Labushagne, who will feature off the bench.
With eight wins and 41 points from their 14 matches to date, the Sharks are entrenched in eighth position on the log, 11 ahead of the Lions who are 12th.
Sharks team
15 Anthony Volmink, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Gerbrandt Grobler, 3 Thomas du Toit (capt), 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Jeandre Labuschagne, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.
IOL Sport