[2018 Super Rugby] Round 1: Lions vs. Sharks (17/02/2018)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Emirates Airlines Park
Time: 17:15 CAT (SA, GMT+2)
​

Teams

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen

Substitutes: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg

Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Ruan Botha (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Juan Schoeman

Substitutes: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 John-Hubert Meyer, 18 Tendai Mtawarira, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Daniel du Preez, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Kobus van Wyk

 

[unrated]

At home the Lions will probably take this. I have a feeling that the Sharks are going to win this one but then again i get that feeling too much which results in clouded judgements regarding Sharks games.
So... Lions by taking note of their good form the last two years and home field advantage should scrape it at the death. There is no chance they run away with this game. The Sharks do stand a good chance though and if they win this one first up then i will be very positive about our 2018 prospects.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I have to say, it came as a shock to me that it's starting this weekend. I wasn't at all prepared for it to start now, but I'm happy that it's starting.

I think the Sharks will take it. I have my doubts that the Lions will be as superb as they were under Ackermann...

 

[unrated]

I have to say, it came as a shock to me that it's starting this weekend. I wasn't at all prepared for it to start now, but I'm happy that it's starting.

I think the Sharks will take it. I have my doubts that the Lions will be as superb as they were under Ackermann...

Yea same here. Especially after seeing what Ackermann has done so far at Gloucester. It really seems like he was the inspiration behind the turnaround of the Lions team. This year we will basically be able to confirm if Ackermann was a great coach or if he was given a great platform by John Mitchell depending on how well Swys does.

 

[SomeOke]

No doubt the Sharks squad is looking really good, the acquisitions of RdP and Mampimpi have really rounded out their backs and they already had good forwards, no reason for them not to be a big threat this year.
That said Lions have been the best team in SA for the last 2 years and not enough has changed for them to really be worried. I'd go with the Lions because of home advantage but could go either way, I'll be looking out for Thomas du Toit at 3, hopefully he can crack it as imo he's still young enough to switch (and did play tighthead one of his u20 years) and we need tight heads more usually as South Africans.

Excited for SR to finally get underway!

 

[Big_Grumper]

I'm really excited for the start of another SR season and think the Sharks will win this one.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Would like to see the line-ups first but the stars are aligned for new things in SA Rugby, think the Sharks could just start this revolution

 

[unrated]

On this great day for South Africa where the one guy who almost destroyed the country resigned as president, The Sharks took the opportunity to announce their team for saturdays clash with the Lions.

15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Ruan Botha (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Juan Schoeman

Substitutes: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 John-Hubert Meyer, 18 Tendai Mtawarira, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Daniel du Preez, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Kobus van Wyk

 

[SomeOke]

Pretty much the expected line up for those following current affairs.
Talking points I suppose are: Bosch on the bench for Mvovo.
Thomas du Toit at 3.
And possibly Chilliboy nowhere to be found.

I just think Rob Snr is set on Bosch being a 10 and isn't really interested in him at 15, it's a pity as he is a promising talent and they will miss his canon, but the justifications are sound (still young/bad defense etc).
du Toit at 3 seems universally to be seen as a bad move, but I'm OK with it honestly, he's still young enough to go down that path.
As for Chilliboy I hear there were personality issues between him and Rob Snr.

On paper the Sharks look pretty beastly, there is no getting around that, whether they will successfully utilize their brutal wingers and be as strong as they should be remains to be seen.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Pretty much the expected line up for those following current affairs.
Talking points I suppose are: Bosch on the bench for Mvovo.
Thomas du Toit at 3.
And possibly Chilliboy nowhere to be found.

I just think Rob Snr is set on Bosch being a 10 and isn't really interested in him at 15, it's a pity as he is a promising talent and they will miss his canon, but the justifications are sound (still young/bad defense etc).
du Toit at 3 seems universally to be seen as a bad move, but I'm OK with it honestly, he's still young enough to go down that path.
As for Chilliboy I hear there were personality issues between him and Rob Snr.

On paper the Sharks look pretty beastly, there is no getting around that, whether they will successfully utilize their brutal wingers and be as strong as they should be remains to be seen.

Well the Sharks did say that Thomas Du Toit will be used at 3 only this year, to transition him into a specialist tighthead. Between him and Coenie they will be very strong in that position.

 

[unrated]

I would have liked if Bosch could start at Fullback but in the end we South Africans knows how fragile our flyhalves are. Its only a matter of time before Rob breaks down and then Bosch will be ready to slot in. I really would not mind if they rotated the two weekly.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Lions team announced

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen

Substitutes: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Putting my boy Rohan on the bench, you don't treat him right like we do!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Will be interesting to see how the Emerging Gloucester team perform.

Really hope they can build on last year.

 

[unrated]

With that very close victory for the Lions they have showed that they will be competitive this year under their new head coach. Squashing fears including those of myself that they just wont be the same team when Ackerman is gone.
The Sharks camped on the Lions line in the final minutes. Getting scrums and lineouts but they butchered the chance every time. With the last lineout the Sharks received i was very confident that they would knock it. Declaring towards all the people around me that its going to be a knock. Indeed it turned out to be.

I am not disappointed in the Sharks performance. This was always going to be a tough game to win away from home. Let me point out that the Lions still need to come to Durban so that game should negate the 4 points they got in joburg if we look at the long term log standings. The Sharks actually played well for me despite their lack of clinical finishing on full time. Lions remained the side they were in the last three years capable of scoring easily. The Sharks are a very good defensive side highlighted by their win over racing metro. Kudos to the Lions, the new guys are also looking good.

Final points:
Robert du Preez and Jantjies should go and work on their place kicking.
Hope the Dan du Preez injury is not as bad as it looked.
Sharks front row was completely destroyed by the Lions.
Lions lineout was completely destroyed by the Sharks.
Sharks wings looks potent this year with both Mapimpi and Nkosi scoring.
Andries Coetzee in a Lions shirt looking like the guy the Springboks need at fullback.

The Sharks now have a bye to fix whatever was broken before they play the Waratahs at home, a game they should easily win.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Bad move from the Sharks starting Beast on the bench, by the time he got on they were almost scrummed onto the B field
Lions remains class. Sharks have excellent wingers. Whitley needs gametime.
Robert du Preez and Cameron Wright could develop into a Bok half pairing, the bring to the party what we have been missing for the last few years

Was a good first outing for both sides but Lions remains that few % better.