Sunwolves load up on South African discards
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves start their final season in Super Rugby with a host of South African discards – including two Springboks.
The Sunwolves host the Rebels in Fukuoka.
Headlining the starting XV is 13-times capped Bok Rudy Paige, who will wear the No.9 jersey.
The 30-year-old previously played for the Bulls, Cheetahs and Clermont.
The second Bok discard is Johannes Engelbrecht, capped 12 times by his country – having previously played for the Bulls, Stormers and Clermont.
Joining Page in the Sunwolves starting XV is former Sharks flyhalf Garth April, former Bulls prop Conraad van Vuuren.
On the bench, with Engelbrecht, are Hencus van Wyk (Bulls and Lions) and Justin Downey (Cheetahs).
Keisuke Moriya and Jake Schatz are co-captains.
Sunwolves: 15 James Dargaville, 14 Siosaia Fifita, 13 Keisuke Moriya (co-captain), 12 Ben Te’o, 11 Tautalatasi Tasi, 10 Garth April, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jake Schatz (co-captain), 7 Shunsuke Nunomaki, 6 Brendon O’Connor, 5 Michael Stolberg, 4 Kotaro Yatabe, 3 Conraad Van Vuuren, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Jarred Adams.
Replacements: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Mitch Jacobson, 21 Naoto Saito, 22 Shogo Nakano, 23 Johannes Engelbrecht.
Date: Saturday, February 1
Venue: Level Five Stadium, Fukuoka
Kick-off: 12.45 (16.45 NZ time; 03.45 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Shuhei Kubo (Japan), Tasuku Kawahara (Japan)
TMO: Minoru Fuji (Japan)
