Round 14

[TRF_stormer2010]

Round 14

Fri 25 Mar Lions v Ospreys (5pm) Live on Super Sport, BBC Wales & Premier Sports

Fri 25 Mar Munster v Benetton (7.35pm) Live on TG4, Mediaset & Premier Sports

Sat 26 Mar Zebre Parma v Scarlets (1pm) Live on Mediaset, BBC Wales & Premier Sports

Sat 26 Mar Stormers v Ulster (1pm) Live on Super Sport & Premier Sports

Sat 26 Mar Sharks v Edinburgh (3.05pm) Live on Super Sport & Premier Sports

Sat 26 Mar Cardiff v Glasgow Warriors (5.15pm) Live on Premier Sports

Sat 26 Mar Bulls v Dragons (7.15pm) Live on Super Sport, S4C & Premier Sports

Sat 26 Mar Connacht v Leinster (7.35pm) Live on RTE2 & Premier Sports


Going to be a long wait...

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Didn't realise we'll be playing Connacht three consecutive weeks. This game and the two leg HEC fixture

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

It'll be worth the wait if NH sides get their internationals back. With their internationals Ospreys, Ulster and Edinburgh should all get a sniff of a losing BP as a minimum on trips to SA.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Very excited about hosting Ulster. Will be a huge test for my Stormers. Just hope we get some of OUR internationals back. Gelant and Willemse have been some of our standout players. We're missing the ever dependable Kitshoff and Malherbe combo and the grunt Moerat brings both in the tight loose and scrum.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Are these Bok absence due to injury, giving them a rest or them topping up their pension fund in Japan? It's still questionable if NH sides will come south full strength generally (not just due to 6N). I know the kiwis didnt seem to always go full strength to SA. A big bit of the attraction of the URC to me is hopefully a move towards full strength selections in all games that go ahead on schedule.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I'm actually not 100% sure. I know Malherbe is struggling to come back from injury.

Kitshoff I am not sure. And then Moerat went off with a red and I havn't seen him since but I think he is out due to a ****ling injury as opposed to serving a ban.

My preferred long term Stormers/WP 10, young Kade Wolhuter, has had a long spell out injured. He is back and has two games of Currie Cup under his belt. I am very glad that they are not throwing him back in at the deep end though. He really is still very young

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Shucks. I have the fixtures all wrong. Does anyone know of a website with an up to date fixtures list?


Lions team to face Munster:
15 Quan Horn, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 More van de Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Sibusiso Sangweni, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sithembiso Sithole
Substitutes: 16 PJ Botha, 17 JP Smith, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Ruan Venter, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Nico Steyn/Ginter Smuts, 22 Manuel Rass, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel

 

[Groundhog]

Get in here boys, Van Graan made several positive selection calls. Namely Hodnett starting, the 10s being rotated again, no Archer and Knox on the bench. Hope Buckley gets minutes and Coombes gets another shot at 13. Think we have a good shot here.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Neil Cronin; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O'Donoghue (C), John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Mark Donnelly, Keynan Knox, Eoin O'Connor, Chris Cloete, Paddy Patterson, Ben Healy, Liam Coombes.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

If Munster weathers the early Lions assault they should be fine.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Feel for the commentators saying the comeback starts now...

 

[mdaclarke]

I can see why the Bulls let Vermeulen go. Louw was immense.

 

[unrated]

I can see why the Bulls let Vermeulen go. Louw was immense.

Not like they had a say in the matter

 

[Groundhog]

Not sure how we legally came up with the ball thet, but this is a lot better. Really nice offloading from some of our tight five and our back row is working hard. John Ryan has been excellent.

 

[Groundhog]

Chris Farrell also excellent so far. Wycherley got himself a scrum penalty. Cronin however has put us under pressure.
Edit: Nash has had so many opportunities for us now and he's been awful recently.

 

[Groundhog]

Wow what a try there. It's our pack again playing th nice rugby today. Outstanding from both Wycherleys, Kendellen and Cronin.

 

[big ginger 8]

A lot of pace in the Lions team but they don't really seem to put themselves in the position to utilise it as much as they should. Still a good chance of winning this if Munster don't find a bit of impetus.

 

[Groundhog]

Terrible second half from Munster. Fully deserved loss. Use of the bench was awful too.

 

[big ginger 8]

The Lions' family ties did better than Munster'.

Emmanuel Tshituka has a but if the Nyanga in him from the tiny bit of attention I was paying this match.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I know we are hosting depleted teams but I really didn't think that the Lions had any chances. Usually they reserve their surprises for derbies. Feels like an age since they were contenders with the likes of Faf and RjvR et al on the books.

 

[JohnKA]

Sharks being their normal self, have the team to put 50 over any team in Europa but decide to make scrap of every match.