The Super 14 Starts Here!
If you haven’t picked your team yet for the Sports Illustrated Super 14 Fantasy League, get cracking NOW! Here are all the latest team-sheets…
Remember, a key part of scoring well in the Super 14 Fantasy League is making sure all your player picks are actually starting!
From the team news coming through, there are some significant omissions – remember, there’s no Richie McCaw for the Crusaders nor Rodney So’oialo for the Hurricanes (both taking a break for the first few weeks). Matt Giteau is officially out of the Brumbies team and his spot is taken by young Matt Toomua, who played for Western Province in the Currie Cup.
Other notables on the bench include: Ricky Januarie (Stormers), Derick Kuun (Bulls), and Brad Thorn (Crusaders).
Starting line-ups
Blues v Hurricanes, North Harbour - 8:35am
Blues: 15 Rudi Wulf, 14 Rene Ranger, 13 Isaia Toeava, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Viliami Ma’afu, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Anthony Boric, 4 Kurtis Haiu, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Peter Saili, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 22 Paul Williams.
Hurricanes: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Tamati Ellison, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Willie Ripia, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Scott Waldrom, 6 Nick Crosswell, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Michael Paterson, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore (captain), 1 John Schwalger.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Jacob Ellison, 18 Bryn Evans, 19 Karl Lowe, 20 Tyson Keats, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 David Smith.
Western Force v Brumbies, Perth – Fri 1:05PM
Western Force: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Sam Harris, 11 Cameron Shepherd, 10 Mark Bartholomeusz, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Richard Brown, 7 David Pocock, 6 Matt Hodgson, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Matt Dunning, 2 Pek Cowan, 1 Nic Henderson.
Replacements: 16 Ben Whittaker, 17 Tim Fairbrother, 18 Richard Stanford, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Chris O’Young, 21 Mitchell Inman, 22 Josh Tatupu.
Brumbies – revised: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Pat McCabe, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Christian Lealiifano, 11 Francis Fainifo, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Josh Valentine, 8 Stephen Hoiles (captain), 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Justin Harrison, 4 Mark Chisholm, 3 Guy Shepherdson, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Ben Alexander.
Replacements: 16 Huia Edmonds, 17 Salesi Maafu, 18 Ben Hand, 19 Mitchell Chapman, 20 Patrick Phibbs, 21 Tyrone Smith, 22 Alfi Mafi.
Cheetahs v Bulls, Bloemfontein – Fri 7:10PM
Cheetahs:15-Riaan Viljoen, 14-Lionel Mapoe, 13-Corné Uys, 12-Meyer Bosman, 11-Jongi Nokwe, 10-Naas Olivier, 9-Tewis de Bruyn, 8-Ashley Johnson, 7-Juan Smith (captain), 6-Heinrich Brüssow, 5-David de Villiers, 4-Nico Breedt, 3-WP Nel, 2-Adriaan Strauss, 1-Wian du Preez
Substitutes: 16-Ryno Barnes, 17-Coenie Oosthuizen, 18-Walti Vermeulen, 19-Frans Viljoen, 20-Sarel Pretorius, 21-Sias Ebersohn, 22-Danwel Demas
Bulls: 15-Zane Kirchner, 14-Gerhard van den Heever, 13-Jaco Pretorius, 12-Wynand Olivier, 11-Francois Hougaard, 10-Morne Steyn, 9-Fourie du Preez, 8-Pierre Spies, 7-Pedrie Wannenburg, 6-Deon Stegmann, 5-Victor Matfield (captain), 4-Danie Rossouw, 3-Werner Kruger, 2-Gary Botha, 1-Gurthro Steenkamp
Substitutes: 16-Bandise Maku, 17-Bees Roux, 18-Flip vd Merwe, 19-Derick Kuun, 20-Heini Adams, 21-Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22-Stephan Dippenaar
Crusaders v Highlanders, Christchurch – 8:35AM
Crusaders 1. Ben Franks , 2. Ti’i Paulo , 3. Owen Franks , 4. Sam Whitelock , 5. Isaac Ross , 6. Kieran Read (c) , 7. George Whitelock , 8. Thomas Waldrom , 9. Andy Ellis , 10. Dan Carter , 11. Zac Guildford , 12. Tim Bateman , 13. Robbie Fruean , 14. Jared Payne , 15. Colin Slade
Reserves: 16. Quentin MacDonald , 17. Peter Borlase , 18. Brad Thorn , 19. Jonathan Poff , 20. Kahn Fotuali’i , 21. Adam Whitelock , 22. Sean Maitland
The team is: 1 Jamie Mackintosh,2 Jason Rutledge, 3 Clint Newland, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 5 Tom Donnelly, 6 Adam Thomson, 7 Alando Soakai, 8 Nasi Manu, 9 Jimmy Cowan (c), 10 Matt Berquist, 11 James Paterson, 12 Jayden Hayward, 13 Jason Shoemark, 14 Ben Smith,15 Israel Dagg.
Reserves: Jason Macdonald, Chris King, Hayden Triggs, John Hardie, Sean Romans, Michael Hobbs, Fetu’u Vainikolo.
Waratahs v Reds, Brisbane – Sat 10:40AM
Waratahs 15 Sosene Anesi, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Tom Carter, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (captain), 6 Dean Mumm, 5 Cam Jowitt, 4 Will Caldwell, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Sekope Kepu, 18 Kane Douglas, 19 Ben Mowen, 20 Josh Holmes, 21 Daniel Halangahu, 22 Rory Sidey.
Reds 15 Peter Hynes, 14 Digby Ioane, 13 Morgan Turinui, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Rod Davies, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 James Horwill, 5 Van Humphries, 4 Adam Byrnes, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Sean Hardman, 1 Ben Daley.
Subs: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Ezra Taylor, 19 Andrew Shaw, 20 Richard Kingi, 21 Tim Walsh, 22 Will Chambers.
Lions v Stormers, Jhb – 5:00PM
Stormers: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Juan De Jongh, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 Anton Van Zyl, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Lionel Cronjé, 22 Sireli Naqelevuki.
Lions: 15-Earl Rose, 14-Tonderai Chavhanga, 13-Deon van Rensburg, 12-Doppies la Grange, 11-Wandile Mjekevu, 10-Carlos Spencer, 9-JP Joubert, 8-Jonathan Mokuena, 7-Franco van der Merwe, 6-Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5-Willem Stoltz, 4-Jacques Lombard, 3-Ross Geldenhuys, 2-Hannes Franklin, 1-Heinke van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16-Charles Emslie, 17-JC van Rensburg, 18-Todd Clever, 19-Jacques Coetzee, 20-Derrick Minnie, 21-Burton Francis, 22-Michael Killian.
Sharks v Chiefs, Durban – 7:00PM
Sharks
The Sharks 15. Stefan Terblanche 14. Odwa Ndungane 13. Waylon Murray 12. Andries Strauss 11. JP Pietersen 10. Monty Dumond 9. Rory Kockott 8. Ryan Kankowski 7. Jean Deysel 6. Keegan Daniel 5. Johann Muller 4. Steven Sykes 3. John Smit ( C ) 2. Bismarck du Plessis
1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Craig Burden 17. Jannie du Plessis 18. Gerhard Mostert 19. Willem Alberts 20. Jacques Botes 21. Ruan Pienaar
22. Adrian Jacobs
Chiefs TBC
Out With The Old, In With the New
Greenpoint Stadium hosted its first rugby match.
For the first time in history, a big rugby game in the city was not played at Newlands. The mountain did not move, nor did the sea swallow up Cape Town.
The World Cup soccer venue hosted its first rugby match on Saturday when a Boland XV played the Stormers in a Super 14 warm-up and the spectacle was breathtaking.
WP’s current home at Newlands in the city’s southern suburbs suddenly looks like a geriatric relative.
The change is inevitable, and not all bad. Newlands comes with its baggage of segregation whereas the new stadium’s crowd reflected a diversity on Saturday that was refreshingly spontaneous.
Still, there will be howls of protest and weeping nostalgia when the move is made.
It has been a favourite ground and the change will be wrenching.
In those days, you would watch a wonderful array of rugby talent, with five club games on the programme.
The press box nestled in the lower grandstand, cheek by jowl with the prime season ticket-holders. Over years, we got to know them, watched them grow old and indulged their crackpot opinions.
So the people at Western Province rugby shove their pride and tradition, sell off the Grand Old Lady and shift to the other side of the mountain.
Even though the old team will turn in their graves.
Courtesy of Archie Henderson
HAVE YOUR SAY: What stands out the most for you about the Newlands Rugby Stadium? What will you miss about the it?
Back to His Best?
Ricky Januarie in action for the Ospreys in the Magners League match.
Reports coming out of Wales suggest Ricky Januarie is returning to fitness and form – which is all good news for the Stormers.
Bok scrumhalf Januarie, who had little game time in 2009 for the national team or Western Province, will return to the Stormers camp at the end of January after, by all accounts, a successful spell at the Ospreys in Wales.
“There have been fantastic reports from the Ospreys about Ricky’s contribution on and off the field,” said Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee.
“By the time he rejoins us there certainly won’t be a lack of match fitness. He has a major role to play – as big as any of our other Boks.”
Januarie, who in the past has not been viewed as one of the most responsible players in SA rugby, has been praised by Ospreys Director of Rugby Scott Johnson for being “professional” and displaying great “leadership qualities”.
According to Johnson, although Januarie doesn’t “talk a lot, he makes valuable contributions.”
The scrumhalf position at the Stormers is one that will be highly contested between Januarie, WP incumbent Dewald Duvenage and veteran Bok Bolla Conradie (although Bolla’s announcement as Boland Kavaliers’ skipper means he is probably considered third choice).
But a back to his best Ricky Januarie surely must be first prize for Coetzee and his coaching staff.
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