
Fixtures:
Fri 23 Oct 20
19:00 PM (SAST)
Phakisa Pumas vs Stormers
Mbombela Stadium
Sat 24 Oct 20
16:30 PM (SAST)
Lions vs Cheetahs
Emirates Airlines Park
Sat 24 Oct 20
19:00 PM (SAST)
Bulls vs Sharks
Loftus Versfeld
.Stormers make Covid-19 enforced changes for Pumas clash
By Wynona Louw Time of article published 3h ago
CAPE TOWN - Springbok front rowers Steven Kitshoff and Scarra Ntubeni won’t be available for the Stormers’ Super Rugby Unlocked match against the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday (kick-off 7pm) after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
The duo have been isolated according to Covid-19 protocols, and apart from their omission, there is one other injury-enforced change to the squad that beat the Lions in their opener at Newlands last weekend.
Loosehead prop Leon Lyons – who was named on the bench last week but didn’t get onto the field as Kitshoff went the full 80 - will earn his first Stormers cap when he starts in the front row at Mbombela Stadium.
In the other changes, wing Edwill van der Merwe will start in the No 14 jersey in place of the injured Sergeal Petersen, while up front lock Chris van Zyl gets a start in a rotational switch.
This means that prop Kwenzo Blose and hooker Chad Solomon are both among an extended list of replacements along with flank Jaco Coetzee, scrumhalf Godlen Masimla and utility back Tristan Leyds, who all did not feature last week. The replacements bench will be finalised on Friday.
Springbok front rower Steven Kitshoff came into contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 and have been isolated according to Covid-19 protocols. Photo: Nic Bothma/EPA.
Stormers Head Coach John Dobson said that the trip to Nelspruit will be a good chance for his team to show what they learned from their opening match.
“We would like to see growth and improvement in certain areas of our game and an away game in Nelspruit will be a good test of that.
“We have some exciting players coming into the mix this week, so we are looking forward to seeing what they have to offer as we keep building,” he said.
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Leon Lyons.
Replacements (from): 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Jaco Coetzee, 22 Godlen Masimla, 23 Michal Haznar, 24 Tim Swiel, 25 Tristan Leyds.
So you are rating a player on 1. Potential. That's fine for the long term future, but the game is this weekend.Sards wrote: Thu Oct 22, 2020 10:49 amAt the end of the day , just look at the scoreboard....that counts more than opinions...
i am quite happy with Dylans start to Sharks rugby ..... has loads of potential....throws better than any of the Hookers at the Stormers thats for sure...
Bosch is amazin full stop ........okes that are jealous because their one is not up to scratch must go kak
Its lovely to see a 7s player make the step up to Soup rugby...we have seen so little of that.
The kid is like a smaller version of Fassi.....
Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Arno Botha, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.
Where are they off to?average joe wrote: Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:42 pm Last game for Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Jasper Wiese and Walt Steenkamp. Oh well, we'll just have to dig out some more discarded players from Japan or somewhere.
Lions: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Dan Kriel (captain), 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 MJ Pelser, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 PJ Botha, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Jannie du Plessis, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Stean Pienaar, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel
look the Bulls beat us in that Superhero game....so not so confident.assfly wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:33 am Rugby365 predictions: https://rugby365.com/tournaments/super- ... edictions/
Stormers by 20
Cheetahs by 12
Sharks by 7
Probably about right, but Sharks Bulls harder to call.
Bulls went for size in the pack to neutralise the saarkies smaller, more mobile pack. Might be a baptism of fire for the saarkies forwards.
Their back row is enormous, with Arno Botha to come in the 2nd half.handyman wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:13 am Bulls went for size in the pack to neutralise the saarkies smaller, more mobile pack. Might be a baptism of fire for the saarkies forwards.
Arno is an absolute beast, watch his arms when he packs down to scrum. Must be spending a fair amount of time on the weights.assfly wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:17 amTheir back row is enormous, with Arno Botha to come in the 2nd half.handyman wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:13 am Bulls went for size in the pack to neutralise the saarkies smaller, more mobile pack. Might be a baptism of fire for the saarkies forwards.
Sharks have been well coached this year, but they're up against another very smart coach. Will be interesting to see their tactics.
handyman wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:34 amArno is an absolute beast, watch his arms when he packs down to scrum. Must be spending a fair amount of time on the weights.assfly wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:17 amTheir back row is enormous, with Arno Botha to come in the 2nd half.handyman wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:13 am Bulls went for size in the pack to neutralise the saarkies smaller, more mobile pack. Might be a baptism of fire for the saarkies forwards.
Sharks have been well coached this year, but they're up against another very smart coach. Will be interesting to see their tactics.
These are extraordinary circumstances, and as the Bulls prepare for a rematch against a Sharks side they comprehensively defeated in a pre-season match, White agreed that it would take times for teams to really find their footing again.
‘I think the most important thing for me this weekend is to see some cohesion, and to get some rhythm to both our attack and defence,’ he commented.
And when asked how long he projected it might take for the competition to start seeing some more compelling, cohesive performances, White acknowledged it was not an exact science.
‘I wish I knew the answer [to how long it will take], obviously the team that gets it right quickest is going to be the one hitting their straps and creating problems.
‘But yes, the reality is that there haven’t been too many scintillating rugby games. There’s been a lot of stop-start matches, and the games have also been slowed down even as the referees – by their own admission – come to terms with the new law interpretations.
‘I hope it’s going to be us who hit our straps quickly, but this is a very new group in terms of coaches and players … It’s not an excuse for us, we’ve just got to make sure we try and get some rhythm and cohesion.’
Jake is talking shite! His Bulls were brilliant in the 1st half against the Cheaters, but then the players remembered they had to stop playing running Rugby and just get Morne to leather it.Sards wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:10 amThese are extraordinary circumstances, and as the Bulls prepare for a rematch against a Sharks side they comprehensively defeated in a pre-season match, White agreed that it would take times for teams to really find their footing again.
‘I think the most important thing for me this weekend is to see some cohesion, and to get some rhythm to both our attack and defence,’ he commented.
And when asked how long he projected it might take for the competition to start seeing some more compelling, cohesive performances, White acknowledged it was not an exact science.
‘I wish I knew the answer [to how long it will take], obviously the team that gets it right quickest is going to be the one hitting their straps and creating problems.
‘But yes, the reality is that there haven’t been too many scintillating rugby games. There’s been a lot of stop-start matches, and the games have also been slowed down even as the referees – by their own admission – come to terms with the new law interpretations.
‘I hope it’s going to be us who hit our straps quickly, but this is a very new group in terms of coaches and players … It’s not an excuse for us, we’ve just got to make sure we try and get some rhythm and cohesion.’