SA Conference Super Rugby Round 12 Preview

All six South African Super Rugby teams will be in action on Saturday, with three of them playing overseas and only one fixture featuring two local teams against each other.

The Bulls kick off the local action on Saturday morning when they face the Waratahs at 11h45 (SA time) in the Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The Pretoria side came unstuck last weekend against the Brumbies, who beat them 23-6 in Canberra, and will be hoping for a quick return to winning ways.

In Singapore, the Stormers will be in action in their first match against the Sunwolves. Last weekend the Sunwolves suffered a 40-22 reverse against the visiting Force. A win for the Cape side will see them equal their best run of four wins in a row against overseas opponents set across the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Fresh from their rest weekend, the Stormers also know they have to win to maintain their lead in the overall South African Group. They currently have 29 points from their nine games, which include six wins.

The Cheetahs are home again after a three-match tour of Australia and they entertain the Southern Kings in a 17h05 kick-off in Bloemfontein. The Kings suffered several injury setbacks recently, however, the previous two meetings between the two sides have been decided by close margins.

Also, the Port Elizabeth side will be eager to show an improvement following their loss last week to the Blues.

Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, the Lions host the visiting Blues and the Highveld side know they have to win to keep the pressure on the front-runners as well as the fast-advancing Sharks in the local conference standings.

In the final encounter of a marathon Saturday fixture-list, the Jaguares host the travelling Sharks in Buenos Aires. The team from Durban scored a morale boosting win over the Hurricanes at home last Saturday, a win which has revitalised their hopes of qualifying for the play-offs.

Elsewhere, the Highlanders and Crusaders clash in the opening clash of the weekend when they tackle each other on Friday morning (SA time) in Dunedin. That match will be followed by the Rebels versus Brumbies meeting in Melbourne. The Hurricanes and Reds go to battle on Saturday morning in Wellington.

Waratahs v Vodacom Bulls

Date: Saturday 14 May 2016

SA Time: 11h45

Team News:

·         Vodacom Bulls head coach, Nollis Marais, has named promising lock Jason Jenkins and wing Jamba Ulengo in his starting fifteen for the showdown against the Waratahs on Saturday.

·         Jenkins pulled out of the first tour match against the Force due to an injury, but is now fit again and will combine with regular Junior Springbok lock partner RG Snyman. He replaces Marvin Orie, who moves to the bench.

·         Ulengo, who returned home from Perth before the Force match, is back and will start in place of the injured Travis Ismaiel at wing.

·         Jannes Kirsten starts at flank in place of Arno Botha, who drops out of the match-day squad.

·         The halfback combinations that started against the Brumbies last weekend is swopped with Rudy Paige and Tian Schoeman starting and Piet van Zyl and Francois Brummer benched.

·         Similarly, Lizo Gqoboka will start at loosehead and Trevor Nyakane will come off the bench.

·         Jaco Visagie and Pierre Schoeman also get playing time, replacing Bandise Maku and Werner Kruger on the bench. Dries Swanepoel dislodged Dan Kriel as back-up backline player.

Date: Saturday 14 May 2016

SA Time: 13h55

·         DHL Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck has made just two changes to the backline that played the Waratahs at DHL Newlands, with Johnny Kotze replacing Leolin Zas on the wing and Louis Schreuder getting a chance to start at scrumhalf with Nic Groom on the replacements bench.

·         In the front row hooker Scarra Ntubeni makes his first start since his return from injury, with Bongi Mbonambi set to make an impact in the second half.

·         Lock JD Schickerling comes back into the starting line-up as well, with Rynhardt Elstadt shifting to flank alongside Siya Kolisi and Nizaam Carr who moves to the back of the scrum.

Toyota Cheetahs v Southern Kings

Date: Saturday 14 May 2016

SA Time: 17:05

Team News:

·         Toyota Cheetahs head coach, Franco Smith, has made numerous changes to his team that lost to the Waratahs in Sydney. In the pack Charles Marais, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Nicolaas van Dyk, Lodewyk de Jager and Uzair Cassiem are all starting again after playing off the bench in their 6-21 loss in Sydney.

·         Flank Paul Schoeman is also starting team after serving a one-week suspension for foul play. He replaces Willie Britz, who in tur is out for up to six weeks with a knee injury.

·         Ox Nche, Luan de Bruin, Henco Venter and Carl Wegner all drop down to the bench. At the back Shaun Venter and Tian Meyer are switching places at No 9, with Meyer on the bench.

·         Skipper Francois Venter is picked at outside centre with Michael van der Spuy starting in the No 12-jersey. Nico Lee is now a reserve.

·         Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids named Shane Gates as captain for the clash in Bloemfontein after Steven Sykes was ruled out with a shoulder injury. He has a ligament tear in his shoulder.

·         Davids made four changes to his starting line-up due to injuries.

·         Schalk Oelofse comes up from the bench to fill in for Sykes at lock, while JP Jonck plays at flank in place of Chris Cloete, who is out with a knee injury. Aidon Davis comes in at  No 8 te replace CJ Velleman who is out with a broken thumb.

·         At the back JP du Plessis comes in at outside centre to fill in for Stefan Watermeyer who is out with a tendon injury to his foot.

·         Cornell Hess comes onto the bench to fill the spot opened up by Oelofse starting.

Date: Saturday 14 May 2016

SA Time: 19:15 local

·         The Emirates Lions will have their regular front row back in action when they host the Blues on Saturday, with both Malcolm Marx and Julian Redelinghuys back in the starting line-up. Both have been out due to injuries and they replace Akker van der Merwe and Pieter Scholtz respectively in the front row.

·         Scrumhalf Ross Cronjé gets the nod while Faf de Klerk moves to the replacements.

·         Rohan Janse van Rensburg will partner Lionel Mapoe in midfield which means Howard Mnisi moves to the substitute bench.

Date: Saturday 14 May 2016

SA Time: 17:40

·         Springbok flyhalf Patrick Lambie will start ahead of Garth April when the Cell C Sharks take on the Jaguares in Buenos Aires on Saturday evening.

·         It will be his first start in Vodacom Super Rugby this year after returning to action from a shoulder injury off the bench in the 32-15 win against the Hurricanes last weekend. He is also the captain.

·         Other changes to the starting fifteen sees Odwa Ndungane come in on the wing in place of Lwazi Mvovo, who is rested.

·         Jean Deysel replaces Jean-Luc du Preez who was not considered for selection after sustaining a minor injury in training on Tuesday, while Etienne Oosthuizen, is rotated to the bench with Lubabalo Mtyanda named to start.

·         In the final change to the run-on team, Lourens Adriaanse makes way for Coenie Oosthuizen in the front row, while there is a welcome return to action for Lubabalo Mtembu, named on the bench after missing much of the season due to injury.

·         On the bench, Chiliboy Ralepelle is bracketed with Kyle Cooper to cover Franco Marais at hooker and Joe Pietersen is bracketed with Sibusiso Sithole amongst the backs on the bench.