Saturday 29 October
EMIRATES LIONS v DHL STORMERS
At Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg, 4pm
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni (SARU, 4 th competition game)
Assistant: Morne Ferreira, Stephan Geldenhuys (both SARU)
TMO: Ben Crouse (SARU)
Recent head to head
15 May 2021 Emirates Lions 37 DHL Stormers 39
4 December 2021 DHL Stormers 19 Emirates Lions 37
12 February 2022 Emirates Lions 10 DHL Stormers 32
It will be another big South African derby with the Emirates Lions desperate to find their first win at home. While they have struggled in season one of Vodacom URC, this is not the same side that didn’t make the top 8 last season and in going head to head against Ulster they showed they can mix it up with the big boys.
The DHL Stormers are still smarting at losing their 15-match unbeaten record in Cardiff last weekend and will want to bounce back with a vengeance, making this a mouth-watering clash indeed.
Did you know?
• Emirates Lions home match with Glasgow Warriors last weekend was postponed, their most recent match being a 37-39 home defeat to Ulster on 15 October.
• Lions have lost three of their last four home games in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship at Emirates Airline Park.
• Lions have recorded just two victories against fellow South African opponents in the URC, beating the Vodacom Bulls in Johannesburg 34-33 in the Rainbow Cup in May 2021 and a 37-19 win over DHL Stormers in Cape Town in December 2021.
• DHL Stormers fifteen game unbeaten run in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship ended with their 24-30 reversal in Cardiff on Saturday.
• Stormers are unbeaten in their last six fixtures against fellow South African opponents since their loss to today’s opponents, the Lions, at DHL Stadium on 4 December 2021. This is Lions only victory over the Stormers since a 41-22 win in Super Rugby at Johannesburg in June 2019. • Stormers have won on their last three visits to Emirates Airline Park in all competitions.
Key Stats
Emirates Lions
• Opting to kick longer and turn the defending back three, the Emirates Lions have retained the fewest kicks in the league (10). However, 49 of their 117 kicks from hand have found grass even if they are yet to manage a 50/22
• The Lions have the lowest rate of ball retention at the maul in the league, only managing to recycle possession from 87 per cent
• Lions lock Reinhard Nothnagel has secured more rucks for his team than any other player in the league, standing sentinel over the ball before it is played away (87)
DHL Stormers
• Very evident in their shock loss against Cardiff in round six, the DHL Stormers have the worst rate of ball retention at the ruck in the league (91 per cent)
• Manie Libbok is the only player in Vodacom URC to have kicked two 50/22s, he also gave a round-high three offloads last weekend
• Continuing his bruising start to the season, Stormers No 8 Hacjivah Dayimani beat more defenders last weekend than any other forward (seven)
Sunday 30 October
VODACOM BULLS v CELL C SHARKS At Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, 3pm
Referee: Marius van der Westhuisen (SARU, 12th competition game)
Assistant: AJ Jacobs, Griffin Colby (both SARU)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)
Head to head
15 May 2021 Vodacom Bulls 43 Cell C Sharks 9
12 June 2021 Cell C Sharks 22 Vodacom Bulls 34
3 December 2021 Cell C Sharks 30 Vodacom Bulls 16
12 February 2022 Vodacom Bulls 22 Cell C Sharks 29
4 June 2022 Vodacom Bulls 30 Cell C Sharks 27
One of the current massive games in South African rugby, both teams need little motivation to resume their battle in earnest, and this time it is for a good cause in combating breast cancer. The Bulls will be in pink for charity and their run against the Sharks will be keenly watched, especially given the big spending the Durban franchise has done. Without their Springboks, both sides will probably be evenly matched, but it will be a huge game in the context of the South African contest and could point the way to which side will have the advantage if they make the playoffs next year.
Vodacom Bulls
• Winger David Kriel has missed 14 tackles for the Vodacom Bulls in Vodacom URC. Only Munster’s David Goggin has missed as many
• Star quality for the Bulls, Marcell Coetzee made a round-high 26 metres in contact in round six
• Bulls scrum-half Embrose Papier produced two try assists in his 55 minutes against Benetton last weekend – as many as any other player (= Matt Currie, Rhys Priestland)
Cell C Sharks
• Cell C Sharks have maintained the highest rate of gainline success in the league so far this season (62 per cent). However, on the other side of the ball they have been less dominant: their tackle success rate is a league-low 85 per cent
• Sharks fly-half Boeta Chamberlain has made four try assists so far this season, as many as any other player (= John Cooney)
• Jaden Hendrikse kicked the ball 14 times in the Sharks’ round five fixture against the Glasgow Warriors. Of these 14, a round-high 6 were retained – the joint-highest figure in a single match so far this season