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The wait for competitive rugby is finally over and, on Friday night, the Sharks will host the Lions in Kings Park like Super Rugby Unlocked starts up.
The start is in 19:00.
It has been over six months since Super Rugby 2020 was suspended as a result of the coronavirus, and while there has been local action for the past two weekends in the form of Super Fan Saturday and then Springbok Showdown, the actual national season begins now. .
Seven teams will compete for two trophies, Super Rugby Unlocked and the Currie Cup, from now until January 23 next year.
On Saturday, the Cheetahs host the Pumas and the Bulls host Griquas, but Friday night’s clash in Durban is arguably the main event of the weekend.
The Sharks were at the top of the Super Rugby rankings when the tournament was canceled in March, while the Lions struggled to recover.
Teams:
Sharks
15 Manie Libbok, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Werner Kok, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Phepsi Buthelezi, 6 James Venter, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Dylan Richardson, 1 Ox Nche
Substitutes: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 JJ van der Mescht, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Thaakir Abrahams
Lions
15 EW Viljoen, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Burger Odendaal, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Elton Jantjies (captain), 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vince Tshituka, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Willem Alberts , 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sti Sithole
Substitutes: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 MJ Pelser, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Gianni Lombard, 24 Wandisile Simelane, 25 Ruan Dreyer
There are two new coaches at the helm, Sean Everitt and Ivan van Rooyen, and both will be desperate to start racing in this new competition.
With the Springboks expected to play in the 2020 Rugby Championship starting November 7, this is also an opportunity for some players to put on performances worthy of national attention.
All over the park, there are delicious little duels that could unfold on Friday. Here, we take a look at some of them.
1. Hyron Andrews vs. Marvin Orie
Lock has been a position of such depth and strength in South African rugby, and these two No. 5s will know it all too well. They both featured prominently at the Springbok Showdown last weekend and the Boks are expected to bring a massive team to Australia if they go to the Rugby Championship, so there are opportunities for both Andrews and Orie. Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit are injured while Franco Mostert is in Japan. There are spots up for grabs and these two second rowers can’t hurt each other with a display of clinical jumps at tee time while also marking the correct boxes from open play.
Curwin Bosch vs. Elton Jantjies
At the Springbok Showdown last weekend, Bosch replaced Damian Willemse with Team Gold and immediately looked more comfortable. If you want to continue that climb up the pecking order, then getting one on the World Cup winning Jantjies will be a good place to start. In the absence of the injured Handre Pollard, Jantjies will be Springbok’s first flyhalf this year. Bosch, however, has a lot of work to do. His talent has never been in question, but there have been concerns at the Springbok level about his defensive capabilities and the overall management of the game. Now 23, Bosch needs to start showing maturity in his game. He was in excellent shape at the beginning of the year and will want to take advantage of that level of performance.
3. James Venter vs. Jaco Kriel
Sharks coach Sean Everitt believes Venter, who is still 24, is the most natural seeker the Durbanites have deployed in a long time. He was enjoying a great season in 2020 before Super Rugby came to a halt and was causing serious problems across the country. Kriel, meanwhile, returns to South Africa after a three-year stint in Gloucester. With 11 caps for the Springboks in 2016 and 2017, Kriel will feel like he still has more to offer. Venter, meanwhile, is just beginning that journey. It’s an intriguing dynamic with two players at very different stages in their careers, but ultimately after the same thing.
4. Lukhanyo Am v Burger Odendaal
The Sharks captain and 2019 World Cup hero has only 15 test matches to his name, but he is listed as an option for the Springbok captaincy whenever Kolisi cannot play. Over the past two years, Am has built a reputation as the nation’s 13 most comprehensive, and as a result, you’ll always see it. His opposite number on Friday, however, is a man who has long been incredibly highly rated in South African rugby. Having been a mainstay with the Bulls for seven years in the No. 12 jersey, Odendaal is now with the Lions through Kubota Spears in Japan and has switched to outside center. His pairing with the promising Dan Kriel on Friday will be worth watching. Odendaal is still only 27 years old and is definitely good enough for the highest honors, and facing a player of Am’s class and pedigree on Friday will be a complete test of those credentials.
