Minimal changes to SA teams for weekend matches

The four South African teams in action in the penultimate round of league action in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship have made minimal changes to their sides for this weekend's matches.

All the SA teams can still reach the Vodacom URC playoffs, but they will have to win this weekend to stay in the hunt, with the DHL Stormers looking to seal second spot on the standings.

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The only change to the Cell C Sharks' starting team for their clash against Benetton on Friday (18h30) is at inside centre, where the injured Rohan Janse van Rensburg - who was stretchered off in the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Toulouse last weekend - is replaced by Australian international Ben Tapuai, with Marnus Potgieter coming onto the bench.

The Vodacom Bulls have named Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen to face Zebre Parma on Saturday (13h00), in what will be his first start in the Vodacom URC since recovering from his shoulder injury seven weeks ago.

Promising prop Rhynardt Rijnsburger and lock Ruan Delport will get their first starts of the Vodacom URC campaign for the Emirates Lions against Leinster on Saturday (16h00), while Stean Pienaar comes in for the rested Rabz Maxwane at wing, and Darrien Landsberg returns to the fold as lock cover on the bench.

And the DHL Stormers have made four changes to their starting team to face Munster on Saturday (18h15) - Ruben van Heerden (lock), Hacjivah Dayimani (No 8) and Willie Engelbrecht (flanker) will start upfront, with Paul de Wet named at scrumhalf, while Bok loose forward Evan Roos is set to make his return from injury from the replacements bench.

Teams:

Cell C Sharks: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Hyron Andrews, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nché. Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Carlü Sadie, 19 Jeandre Labuschagne, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Marnus Potgieter, 23 Thaakir Abrahams.

Vodacom Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 David Kriel, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortjé (captain), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Cornal Hendricks.

Emirates Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Rhynardt Rijnsburger. Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 JP Smith, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Darrien Landsberg, 20 Travis Gordon, 21 Morné van den Berg, 22 Rynhardt Jonker, 23 Andries Coetzee.

DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Seabelo, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain). Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Clayton Blommetjies.

Cell C Sharks DHL Stormers Emirates Lions Vodacom Bulls Vodacom United Rugby Championship

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