URC Round 12 - teams and predictions
FRIDAY PREVIEW: Two South African teams – the Lions and Bulls – are entering the ‘desperation’ stages of their campaigns, after a forgettable fortnight over the Christmas and New Year weekends.
The Lions face off against the Irish province Munster at Musgrave Park in Cork on Friday, with the Bulls and the Dragons going head-to-head at Rodney Parade, in Newport at the same time.
The Lions have won their last four fixtures played outside of South Africa – winning away to Ospreys, Cardiff and Edinburgh this season.
However, humbling losses to the Sharks and Stormers have pegged them back in the play-off race.
Ninth-placed Munster is three points ahead of the Lions on the table, but the Lions have a game in hand.
The only previous encounter between the sides took place in Johannesburg last season with the Lions coming from behind to claim a 23-21 victory.
Veteran Springbok loose forward Jaco Kriel said it would be foolhardy for them to focus on their slide down the standings – from fifth to 11 in the past fortnight.
“If you get side-tracked by [your position on] the standings, you will not focus on the job at hand,” the 33-year-old said.
He added that Munster will feel they ‘owe’ the Lions one, after the Irish province lost to the Lions in March last year, away in Johannesburg.
“They struggled at the start of the season,. but their last few results have been a massive improvement,” the 11-times capped Bok said of wins over Edinburgh and Ulster in the URC, along with a one-point loss to Leinster.
Apart from the improved form of their hosts, the Lions will also face the challenge of an unknown venue – Musgrave Park, in Cork – the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland.
Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys admitted it will be a “novelty” for the entire squad.
(Article continues below Lions’ video preview …)
“It is almost like we do well with the ‘new’ and the ‘unknown’,” Redelinghuys told @rugby365com.
“We don’t see that as a negative, more as a positive,” he said of the first of four consecutive matches on artificial surfaces.
“At least we know the pitch will be in a good condition,” he said of the expected weather – cloudy, turning breezy in the afternoon with a couple of showers.
Munster forwards Coach Andi Kyriacou said the belief in the Irish team is something they have been working on, with the win over Ulster at Ravenhill this past Sunday a massive contributing factor.
“There has been an improvement from week to week,” he said of Munster’s growth.
Kyriacou said there was still a bit of the ‘unknown’ in the Lions.
“They are usually big up front,” he said, adding: “A lot of work has gone into [our] set pieces and the fight we will have on our hands in that area.
“They are massively attritional and the halfbacks can cause havoc.
“The fight up front is going to be a big job for us on Friday.”
Historically a major beneficiary of home advantage, Munster have lost two of their last three matches at home (Thomond Park), albeit to Leinster and Ulster – both top three sides.
* The Dragons and Bulls have also only met once, with the latter beating the Welsh province 55-20 in Pretoria.
The Dragons’ home form has improved this season, during which they have won three of their five matches in Newport.
The Bulls have had a reversal of fortunes in the last couple of rounds.
They have lost two on the bounce, both to the same South African franchises that beat the Lions – Stormers and Sharks.
Bulls scrum coach Werner Kruger said the conditions in Europe this time of the year make the ‘kicking battle’ vital, ensuring you play in the correct areas.
“It is about managing the game correctly,” Kruger told a media briefing from the team’s base in Newport.
“It is likely to be windy and wet,” he said of the expected weather in the city in southwest Wales.
“With weather like that [expected heavy rain] you don’t take chances in your own 22.
“If you are on the right side of the pitch and you have the ball in your hands, you can have a go.”
He dismissed the suggestion of ‘extra pressure’ after the back-to-back defeats, saying they just need to “pitch up” with good physicality, the ‘game drivers’ can get them in the right areas of the field.
Kruger felt Rodney Parade’s ‘hybrid’ pitch does not require as much of an adjustment as the 4G (artificial) surfaces in other parts of Europe.
“Hybrid pitches are incredible surfaces to play on,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “The look and feel are very similar to normal grass, which South African teams are familiar with.”
“It is crucial, at the back-end of a season, to pick up a couple of away wins.
“We’ve had a tough three weeks, so we need a good performance from the team to turn it around.”
He said the Dragons’ forwards measure up to the level of the Springbok-laden Sharks.
“They are a strong mauling side, with some strong carriers like [No.8 Ross] Moriarty in the pack.
“We will have to do a number [on them] upfront – get our set piece right and front up.
“The only way to get a result [win] away from home is to get in the opposition’s face and get physical with them.”
Dragons coach Dai Flanagan said they are ‘looking forward’ to the challenge of facing the Bulls.
“They will be disappointed with the outcome of their games in recent weeks,” Flanagan said.
“They are coming here fully loaded because they need results like we need results.
“They have such talent in their squad. They are physical, they won’t take a step back, so we must match that.
“You look at the back three too, they can light up if we are not on our game and we don’t manage the game.
“They are made of tough stuff. We know what’s coming in and we’ve got to be prepared.
“It’s home, it’s Friday in Newport and it’s Rodney Parade. It’s a big test and one we need to meet head-on.”
All the teams and predictions for FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, follow below …
Munster v Lions
(Musgrave Park, Cork – Kick-off: 19.35; 19.35 GMT; 21.35 SA time)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Munster by 19 points
Teams
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Shane Daly, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Liam Coombes, 10 Ben Healy, 9 Paddy Patterson, 8 Alex Kendellen, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Jack O’Donoghue (captain), 5 Gavin Coombes, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Roman Salanoa, 2 Diarmuid Barron, 1 Josh Wycherley.
Replacements: 16 Scott Buckley, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Cian Hurley, 20 Jack O’Sullivan, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Dan Goggin, 23 Patrick Campbell.
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Emmanuel Tshituka, 7 Emile van Heerden, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Pieter Botha, 1 Jean-Pierre Smith.
Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Morgan Naudé, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Sibusiso Sangweni, 21 Andre Warner, 22 Gianni Lombard, 23 Manuel Rass.
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland), Sam Holt (Ireland)
TMO: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Dragons v Bulls
(Rodney Parade, Newport – Kick-off: 19.35; 19.35 GMT; 21.35 SA time)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Bulls by six points
Teams
Dragons: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 Rio Dyer, 13 Steff Hughes (captain), 12 Max Clark, 11 Sio Tomkinson, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Lewis Jones, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Ollie Griffiths, 6 Sean Lonsdale, 5 George Nott, 4 Joe Davies, 3 Chris Coleman, 2 Bradley Roberts, 1 Aki Seiuli.
Replacements: 16 Brodie Coghlan, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Huw Taylor, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Ben Fry, 22 Gonzalo Bertranou, 23 Will Reed.
Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 David Kriel, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Izak Burger, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marco Van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Sebastian Lombard, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Johan Goosen, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Mike English (Wales), Tom Spurrier (Wales)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
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