URC Round Nine – Teams and Predictions

PREVIEW: The Sharks will look to get their first double over the Stormers in their final United Rugby Champions game of the year at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

Last month the Sharks recorded their first ever URC win over the Stormers at Kings Park in Durban.

John Plumtree’s men are gradually establishing their home base as a fortress, but they know that winning away from home is just as important.

The last time the Sharks were successful in Cape Town was during the Rainbow Cup in May 2021, where they secured a 33-30 victory over the Capetonians.

As for the Stormers, they are in a must-win scenario. The team is currently 13th in the table with just three wins from their seven matches.

However, a good result will get their season going in the right direction.

Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson made three changes to the playing squad that secured a decisive 29-10 win over the Lions last week.

The injured Leolin Zas is replaced on the left wing by Seabelo Senatla, while tight forwards Andre-Hugo Venter and Ruben van Heerden are among the replacements for the last game of the year.

A large crowd of over 43,000 is expected for this match.

“After the Lions game we said we’re only halfway done and these two home games are absolutely fundamental to getting our URC back on track,” Dobson said.

“Last week doesn’t ease the pressure, it’s about both of these games.

“We are playing a team that has six caps in the starting pack and they are the big galaktico in South African rugby.

“We have to play above the sum of our parts to win it, which we intend to do.”

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Sharks coach John Plumtree hopes his team will be ready despite injuries and the limited time for training due to Christmas.

“It’s been a mix of preparations the last couple of weeks and for both camps I think Christmas would have interfered with preparations,” Plumtree said.

“But both teams will be fired up and ready to go in front of a big crowd in Cape Town.

“We know what a massive challenge it is to play the Stormers away from home. It’s been a while since the Sharks have won there.”

He added: “I know the Stormers have been really focused on winning the last two games of the year and we’re the second so we know how tough it’s going to be.

“Both teams are playing a pretty expansive game so it will be exciting to watch.

“In advance we know the boys, we know the boys have played good set pieces and are looking forward to it.”

The Sharks also received a massive boost as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi returns from injury along with Scotland hooker Dylan Richardson, lock Emile van Heerden.

Kolisi will lead his side against his former side.

Commenting on Kolisi’s return, Stormers captain Deon Fourie said: “Siya and I have come along way since he arrived at Western Province and the Stormers (in 2010).

“I spoke to him last week on Friday so we are still in touch and looking forward to playing him again.”

The second group of derbies sees Zebre against Italian rivals Benetton. In Scotland, defending champions Glasgow Warriors take on Edinburgh, while Connacht and Ulster wrap things up in Ireland.

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* All Saturday and Sunday teams and predictions follow below…

Stormers v Sharks
(Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – Kick-off: 5pm; 15:00 GMT)

Forecast

@rugby365com: Stormers with three points

Team:

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 JD Schickerling , 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Substitutions: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Neethling Fouché, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Jean-Luc du Plessis.

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 5 Jenkins , 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Dylan Richardson, 1 Okse Nche.
Substitutions: 16 Bryce Calvert, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Nicholas Hatton, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Francois Venter.

Judge: Aimee Barret-Theron (South Africa)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (South Africa) and Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Zebra Parma vs Benetton
(Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – Kick-off: 16:00; 15:00 GMT)

Forecast

@rugby365com: Benetton with 15 points

Zebras: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli 14 Scott Gregory 13 Giulio Bertaccini 12 Fetuli Paea 11 Simone Gesi 10 Giacomo Da Re 9 Gonzalo Garcia 8 Giovanni Licata 7 Bautista Stávile 6 Giacomo Ferrari 5 Andrea Zambonoi 5 Andrea Zambonino 32 I Leonard Di Nembonin Bartolomeo 1 Danilo Fischetti (C
Replacements: 16 Giampietro Ribaldi 17 Luca Rizzoli 18 Muhamed Hasa 19 Matteo Canali 20 Samuele Locatelli 21 Thomas Dominguez 22 Filippo Drago 23 Giovanni Montemauri

Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Onisi Ratave, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 Michele Lamaro (C), 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Alessandro N Izecol Ruzzò, 5 Federico N Izekor , 5. , 3 Giosué Zilocchi, 2 Siua Maile, 1 Thomas Gallo,
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Riccardo Favretto, 20 Lorenzo Cannone, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Leonardo Marin, Ignacio Brex

Judge: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Fillipo Russo (Italy) and Franco Rosella (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)

Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors
(Edinburgh Stadium, Murrayfield – Kick-off: 3.00pm; 3.00pm)

Forecast

@rugby365com: Glasgow Warriors with five points

Team:

Edinburgh: 15 Wes Goosen, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Matt Currie, 12 Mosese Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 Ali Price, 8 Ben Muncaster, 7 Luke Crosbie, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Grant Gilchrist (c), 4 Sam Skinner, 3 D’arcy Rae, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Boan Venter
Substitutions: 16 Paddy Harrison, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Hamish Watson, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22 Ben Healy, 23 James Lang

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Kyle Rowe, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Steyn (C), 10 Tom Jordan, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Mann, 7 Matt Fagerson, 6 Ally Miller, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Gregor Brown, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Jamie Bhatti
Substitutions: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Alex Samuel, 20 Grant Stewart, 21 Angus Fraser, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Duncan Weir

Judge: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Hollie Davidson (Scotland) and Jonny Perriam (Scotland)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)

Connacht v Ulster
(Sportsground, Galway – Kick-off 19.35; 19.35 GMT)

Forecast

@rugby365com: Connacht with three points

Connacht: 15 Piers O’Conor, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Cathal Forde, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Santiago Cordero, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Cian Prendergast (C), 5 Darragh Murray , 4 Josh Murphy, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckle
Replacement: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Sean Jansen, 21 Ben Murphy, 22 Shane Jennings, 23 Conor Oliver

Ulster: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Ben Carson, 12 Jude Postlethwaite, 11 Rory Telfer, 10 Jack Murphy, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 James McNabney, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Matty Rea, 5 Cormac Izuchukwu, 4 Alan O’Connor C ), 3 Scott Wilson, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Eric O’Sulliva
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Corrie Barrett 19 Kieran Treadwell, 20 David McCann, 21 John Cooney, 22 Aidan Morgan, 23 Wilhelm De Klerk

Judge: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland) and Tomas O’Sullivan (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)