Lots of changes for Vodacom URC Derby Day

All four South African teams preparing for Saturday's Coastal and Jukskei Derbies in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship have been named, with a number of tweaks to the different starting line-ups.

The DHL Stormers host the Cell C Sharks in Cape Town for a 14h30 kick-off, followed by the Gauteng clash between the Vodacom Bulls and Emirates Lions in Pretoria (16h45) - full preview available here.

DHL Stormers coach John Dobson made six changes to his starting line-up for the clash against the Cell C Sharks, with Angelo Davids and Paul de Wet handed the No 11 and 9 jerseys.

Up front, Ali Vermaak and Joseph Dweba will start in the front row, with Ernst van Rhyn at lock in place of Gary Porter, who has been ruled out with concussion, while Ben-Jason Dixon will run out at blindside flank.

Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell also made a number of changes to last week’s side that played against Ulster, including a new front row of Dian Bleuler, Fez Mbatha and Hanro Jacobs, Emile van Heerden getting a start at lock and two new loose forwards in Henco Venter and Sikhumbuzo Notshe.

The captaincy reins have been handed to Curwin Bosch this week and the only changes in the backline are at wing and outside centre, where Aphelele Fassi and Marnus Potgieter will start.

Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has also mixed up his side for the Gauteng derby with Morne Steyn starting at flyhalf and Wandisile Simelane moving to fullback, amongst a number of tweaks to the backline.

The Emirates Lions will head north to Pretoria without Springbok duo Jaco Kriel (injured) and Ruan Dreyer (suspended for three weeks).

Head coach Ivan van Rooysen has named Emmanuel Tshituka at openside flanker, while Ruan Venter moves from lock to the blindside. Ruan Smith will fill the void left by Dreyer on the bench.

Teams:

DHL Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak. Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Suleiman Hartzenberg.

Cell C Sharks: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Aphelele Fassi, 10 Curwin Bosch (captain), 9 Grant Williams, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Henco Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Emile van Heerden, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Dian Bleuler. Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Carlü Sadie, 19 Jeandre Labuschagne, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 James Venter, 22 Cameron Wright, 23 Yaw Penxe.

Vodacom Bulls: 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Sibongile Novuka, 13 Cornal Hendricks, 12 David Kriel, 11 Sbu Nkosi, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 WJ Steenkamp, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Dylan Smith. Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Harold Vorster.

Emirates Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter 6 Emmanuel Tshituka, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 JP Smith. Replacements: 16 Morné Brandon, 17 Rynhardt Rijnsburger, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Ruhan Delport, 20 Jarod Cairns, 21 Morné van den Berg, 22 Rynhardt Jonker, 23 Andries Coetzee.

Vodacom United Rugby Championship DHL Stormers Cell C Sharks Vodacom Bulls Emirates Lions DHL Stadium Loftus Versfeld

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