URC Round Five - teams and predictions
FRIDAY FRENZY: ‘On paper, the hardest game on tour for us!’
That one sentence sums up the Stormers’ challenge against hosts Ospreys in Swansea – in what Welsh legend Jamie Roberts labelled as the game of the weekend.
The Stormers – the reigning URC champions – have claimed maximum points from their first three league matches.
Yet, Stormers coach John Dobson stuck to a pre-tour planned selection of starting some fringe players and leaving Springboks like Joseph Dweba and Steven Kitshoff on the bench.
He admitted there is a significant level of ‘risk’ in the policy, but decided to “stick to the plan”.
The Stormers coach said that the Ospreys have been a strong team for a while now, a team loaded with Welsh internationals.
“They may have been inconsistent result-wise, but have been really good at home,” Dobson said.
“They are one of the top teams in the league in terms of discipline and one of the top teams in terms of ball retention.
“Rhys Webb is a brilliant scrumhalf.
“We are expecting a contestable kicking game, which we have prepared for.
“We also expect them to challenge us at the breakdown.”
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Despite facing a powerful pack that includes a host of Welsh internationals, including British and Irish legend Alun Wyn Jones – to go with Adam Beard, Tomas Francis, Dewi Lake and Nicky Smith – Dobson is backing the likes of Marvin Orie, skipper Salmaan, Neethling Fouche, Andre-Hugo Venter and Allister Vermaak to get the job done.
“We accept that in some games it will go wrong for us,” Dobson told @rugby365com.
“We made a commitment to them and don’t think it would be fair to the players or justifiable,” he responded to the question of adding some additional Bok muscle.
Moerat also touched on the challenge of playing on a hybrid surface – an experience he has only had once before.
“He believes the more bounce and the faster pace of the surface will suit the Stormers.
“The boys will be eager to go,” the Stormers captain said, adding: “It favours a running game.”
Ospreys coach Toby Booth is on record of wanting to ‘test’ his team – be the young players or the Internationals.
“We want to test what we’re trying to do against the best,” he said of the Friday outing against the Stormers.
“Having the influence of the top South African teams in the competition means everyone must get better.
“Every week is an opportunity to mark where you are.
“We’re excited by the challenge of the Stormers.
“We have to defend well against them, and we did that well against Glasgow. We took our opportunities when they presented themselves and we know Friday will be a different challenge.
“We’re going against a team who like to be positive, they try to express themselves, good athletes and big collisions.
“It’ll be a big test for us but like all good teams your performances start and finish with your fundamentals so it’s up to us to decide how good we can be.”
Welsh legend Jamie Roberts, himself a British and Irish Lions star, hailed Friday’s clash as the game of the weekend.
The retired centre, who had a spell playing for the Stormers in Cape Town back in 2020, says both teams will be desperate to claim the spoils in Swansea.
“The Ospreys are a good side at home, no two ways about that,” Roberts told a URC media round table.
“They are a tough side to beat, they are physical.
“Toby Booth is a smart operator and I think he’s got the qualities at his disposal to win this game,” he said of the Ospreys’ boss.
“However, they are coming up against a very good side, a really well-balanced smart side.
“Some of the players the Stormers have are exceptional.
“They pressurise teams and when the time comes to play, the likes of Manie Libbok are fantastic attacking threats. They are just really, really smart the way they play the game.
“Yes, they are strong up front, yes they have got some good players behind, but I just think the psyche around how they are managing rugby games and how smart they are being, is just second to none at the minute.
“It’s going to take one immense performance from the Ospreys to win this. They are coming up against a side full of confidence, a side that is winning time after time. It’s going to be a huge challenge.
“It’s probably the game of the weekend for me.
“They are two teams who will be desperate to win. I think it’s going to be hugely exciting.”
* The other Friday match features an Irish derby – Connacht hosts Leinster at The Sportsground, in Galway.
Connacht Director of Rugby Andy Friend said last Friday’s victory over Munster saw a much improved overall performance by his team.
“That was more aligned to what we know we’re capable of as a team,” Friend said.
“We now have to use that as a springboard for the rest of the season, and Friday is another brilliant opportunity to test ourselves against some of the best in Europe.
“The atmosphere at The Sportsground last week was incredible and I know that our supporters will give us the same again and more on Friday.”
All of Friday’s teams and predictions follow below …
Ospreys v Stormers
(Swansea Stadium, Swansea – Kick-off: 19.35; 20.35 SA time; 18.35 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Stormers by six points
Teams
Ospreys: 15 Max Nagy, 14 George North, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Michael Collins, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Rhys Webb (captain), 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 Ethan Roots, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Adam Beard, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Rhys Henry, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Rhys Davies, 20 Dan Lydiate, 21 Ruben Morgan Williams, 22 Jack Walsh, 23 Luke Morgan.
Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Alapati Leuia, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Hacjivah Dayimani, 6 Nama Xaba, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Allister Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Willie Engelbrecht, 22 Godlen Masimla, 23 Sacha Mngomezulu.
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Aled Evans (Wales), Carwyn Williams (Wales)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Connacht v Leinster
(The Sportsground, Galway – Kick-off: 19.35; 18.35 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Leinster by nine points
Teams
Connacht: 15 Conor Fitzgerald, 14 John Porch, 13 Byron Ralston, 12 David Hawkshaw, 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Jack Carty (captain), 9 Colm Reilly, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Josh Murphy, 5 Gavin Thornbury, 4 Niall Murray, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Peter Dooley.
Replacements: 16 Grant Stewart, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Conor Oliver, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Tom Daly, 23 Ciaran Booth.
Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Liam Turner, 13 Garry Ringrose (captain), 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 Rob Russell, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Cormac Foley, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Caelan Doris, 5 James Ryan, 4 Ross Molony, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Ed Byrne.
Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Michael Ala’alatoa, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Martin Moloney, 21 Nick McCarthy, 22 Ciarán Frawley, 23 Robbie Henshaw.
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Peter Martin (Ireland), Oisin Quinn (Ireland)
TMO: Colin Stanley (Ireland)
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