Coaches from both sides have slotted Junior Springboks into their team in hope of inspiring a win.
Luan Giliomee will make his Currie Cup debut after already playing two URC matches fro the Sharks, and scoring a try in his debut against Munster. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
A total of seven Junior Springboks will be entering the fray when the Stormers host the Sharks in their Currie Cup coastal derby in Cape Town on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Two of the SA U20 side’s most exciting players, Luan Giliomee (Sharks) and Markus Muller (Stormers), will line up on opposite sides of the field after also starring for the SA A side that whipped Zimbabwe 40-0 last month.
There, Muller scored a try, and Giliomee kicked two conversions.
Both already made their United Rugby Championship (URC) debuts for their respective sides last season, but have yet to play in the Currie Cup.
Exciting coastal derby
Giliomee starts at fullback for the Sharks, with fellow U20 World Championship winners Khuthi Rasivhaga, Liam van Wyk and Rambo Kubheka playing off the bench.
Former SA U18 captain Markus Muller starts at outside centre for the Stormers, with prop Danie Kruger and hooker Altus Rabie on the bench.
Both teams have won one and lost one game so far in the Currie Cup and will want to improve on a disappointing finish last year, where the Sharks finished seventh and Stormers (then Western Province) ended last.
The Sharks, after beating the Pumas 26-24 in Mbombela, will want to bounce back from a disappointing 43-21 defeat to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
The Stormers, likewise, beat the Griquas 25-19 in Cape Town before suffering the tournament’s biggest defeat yet. They fell six tries to none (score 41-3) against Boland Cavaliers in Wellington last week.
Stormers, Sharks out to do better
Stormers defence coach Pine Pienaar took responsibility for the poor defensive effort.
“One of the disappointing aspects was the collision area,” he said.
“We couldn’t get decent quality tackles. We couldn’t get our defensive lines set and we struggled to find the energy that normally comes from our defence.
“It’s not the way the Stormers defend. It’s not the way we want to look on the field. We have to make sure we’re much better this weekend.”
Sharks coach Mike Vowles also said he hoped his team would improve on their poor performance against the Cheetahs.
“For us we’re just looking to build on the momentum of the previous two games and with an eye on finishing well,” he said.
“The other changes in our squad are more on our bench, where we felt that we haven’t ended the games particularly well.
“So we want to finish strong in the last 20. We feel the selections on our bench will help us do that.”
The two unions will also take on each other in the SA Rugby U20 Cup in a 12pm curtain raiser.
