{"209":{"title":"Six Nations","uri":"six-nations","id":"108","oid":"209","order":0,"hasData":1},"210":{"title":"Rugby World Cup","uri":"rugby-world-cup","id":"111","oid":"210","order":1,"hasData":1},"3":{"title":"International","uri":"internationals","id":"107","oid":"3","order":3,"hasData":1},"201":{"title":"Gallagher Premiership","uri":"premiership","id":"101","oid":"201","order":4,"hasData":1},"204":{"title":"United Rugby Championship","uri":"united-rugby-championship","id":"138","oid":"204","order":5,"hasData":1},"203":{"title":"TOP 14","uri":"top-14","id":"102","oid":"203","order":6,"hasData":1},"217":{"title":"U20 Six Nations","uri":"u20-six-nations","id":"217","oid":"217","order":7,"hasData":1},"211":{"title":"Pro D2","uri":"pro-d2","id":"119","oid":"211","order":8,"hasData":1},"208":{"title":"Bunnings NPC","uri":"bunnings-npc","id":"105","oid":"208","order":9,"hasData":1},"242":{"title":"Investec Champions Cup","uri":"european-champions-cup","id":"110","oid":"242","order":10,"hasData":1},"243":{"title":"Challenge Cup","uri":"challenge-cup","id":"118","oid":"243","order":11,"hasData":1},"340":{"title":"PWR","uri":"premiership-womens-rugby","id":"127","oid":"340","order":12,"hasData":1},"205":{"title":"Super Rugby Pacific","uri":"super-rugby","id":"104","oid":"205","order":13,"hasData":1},"207":{"title":"Currie Cup","uri":"currie-cup","id":"106","oid":"207","order":14,"hasData":1},"248":{"title":"Women's Six Nations","uri":"womens-six-nations","id":"125","oid":"248","order":16,"hasData":1},"274":{"title":"Women's Internationals","uri":"womens-internationals","id":"274","oid":"274","order":17,"hasData":1},"249":{"title":"Women's Rugby World Cup","uri":"womens-rugby-world-cup","id":"126","oid":"249","order":18,"hasData":1},"365":{"title":"Autumn Nations Series","uri":"autumn-nations-series","id":"124","oid":"365","order":19,"hasData":1},"2000":{"title":"Nations Championship","uri":"nations-championship","id":"2000","oid":"2000","order":20,"hasData":1},"1":{"title":"Rugby Hybrid Friendlies","uri":"rugby-hybrid-friendlies","id":"1","oid":"1","order":21,"hasData":1},"269":{"title":"Rugby Europe Championship","uri":"rugby-europe-championship","id":"269","oid":"269","order":22,"hasData":1},"221":{"title":"British & Irish Lions 2025","uri":"british-irish-lions","id":"113","oid":"221","order":23,"hasData":1},"214":{"title":"The Rugby Championship","uri":"the-rugby-championship","id":"109","oid":"214","order":24,"hasData":1},"141":{"title":"Super Rugby Pacific","uri":"super-rugby-pacific","id":"141","oid":"141","order":25,"hasData":1},"216":{"title":"World Rugby Junior World Championship","uri":"world-rugby-u20-championship","id":"216","oid":"216","order":25,"hasData":1},"219":{"title":"Pacific Nations Cup","uri":"pacific-nations-cup","id":"219","oid":"219","order":26,"hasData":1},"120":{"title":"Pacific Four Series","uri":"pacific-four-series","id":"120","oid":"120","order":27,"hasData":1},"862":{"title":"WXV 1","uri":"wxv-1","id":"862","oid":"862","order":29,"hasData":1},"863":{"title":"WXV 2","uri":"wxv-2","id":"863","oid":"863","order":30,"hasData":1},"864":{"title":"WXV 3","uri":"wxv-3","id":"864","oid":"864","order":31,"hasData":1},"151":{"title":"Major League Rugby","uri":"major-league-rugby","id":"131","oid":"151","order":32,"hasData":1},"116":{"title":"Premiership Cup","uri":"premiership-cup","id":"116","oid":"116","order":34,"hasData":1}}
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Thursday
21:00
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Friday
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Friday
21:00

Stormers give Markus Muller a shot

By Warren Fortune
Friday 27 Mar 2026

PREVIEW: There will be a spotlight on Durban and Polokwane as the SA Rugby U23 Cup competition enters its second round on Friday.

The Bulls XV and Stormers XXIII are entering the fray for the first time, while the Sharks U23s will be determined to rebound from their opening round 7-24 home loss to the Lions XV.

There are eight players with Stormers caps in the Stormers XXIII starting line-up for the clash against Sharks U23.

Springbok prop Zachary Porthen is joined in the front row by Junior Springbok Olly Reid and hooker Luca Bakkes. Captain Gary Porter is in the second row alongside the young Tom Barnard, while Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton will link up with Keke Morabe and Alutha Wesi in the loose trio.

Imad Khan will partner Dominic Malgas at halfback, with Luke Burger and Josh Boulle in midfield, while fullback JC Mars will have Suleiman Hartzenberg and Mfundo Ndhlovu outside him on the wings.

The replacements bench will feature the talented Markus Muller, along with halfbacks Asad Moos and Kyle Smith as backline cover, with forwards Lukhanyo Vokozela, Hencus van Wyk, Herman Lubbe, Alex Groves and Torren February set to make an impact in the second half.

Stormers XXIII head coach Labeeb Levy said that after a good pre-season match against the Seattle Seawolves, his team is determined to make a positive start to the campaign.

“It was valuable to get some competitive gametime against the Seawolves last week, although we did pay for it a bit with a few injuries.

“Nonetheless, we have managed to put a strong team together, and we face a tough away assignment first-up, so we’ll have to be on our game from the start,” he said.

*Then the action moves to Limpopo, where the Bulls XV will make their first appearance when they host the Lions XV in a Jukskei Derby at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

The Lions will be keen to build on their opening round victory in their second successive encounter on the road. They led 19-0 at the break in Durban and finished with a bonus-point win – where Keagan Smith scored a first-half hat-trick of tries – to start the competition on a high note.

For the Bulls, this match in Polokwane against their Joburg rivals also gives them the opportunity to broaden their franchise and brand footprint in Limpopo.

Apart from senior players who need game time or those on the fringe of URC selection, the four squads also feature numerous current and former Junior Springboks.

See below for Friday’s teams!

Friday, March 27:

Sharks U23 v Stormers XXIII

Teams:

Sharks U23: 15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Phikolomzi Sobahle, 13 Janco Purchase, 12 Marnus Potgieter, 11 Khuthi Rasivhaga, 10 Pieter Bergh, 9 Ceano Everson, 8 Hanu Pieterse (captain), 7 Wasi Vyambwera, 6 Jean-Henri Smit, 5 Deon Slabbert, 4 Coetzee le Roux, 3 Simphiwe Ngobese, 2 Liam van Wyk, 1 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko.
Replacements: 16 Ntuthuko Mthembu, 17 Kai Pratt, 18 Dian Heunis, 19 Tino Masevere, 20 Luan Olivier, 21 Philip McLaren, 22 Albie Bester, 23 Scott Nel

Stormers XXIII: 15 JC Mars, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Josh Boulle, 12 Luke Burger, 11 Mfundo Ndhlovu, 10 Dominic Malgas, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Riley Norton, 6 Alutha Wesi, 5 Gary Porter (captain), 4 Tom Barnard, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Luca Bakkes, 1 Olly Reid.
Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Hencus van Wyk, 18 Herman Lubbe, 19 Alex Groves, 20 Torren February, 21 Asad Moos, 22 Kyle Smith, 23 Markus Muller.

Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 15.30 (13.30 GMT)
Referee: Caleb Hibbert

Bulls XV vs Lions XV

Teams:

Bulls XV: TBC

Lions XV: 15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Jason Hugo, 13 Likhona Finca, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Keagan Smith, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Zian Cilliers, 8 Thando Biyela (captain), 7 Marco Ferreira, 6 Luke Cannon, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 Siya Dube, 2 Mahle Sithole, 1 Cecil Parsons.
Replacements: 16 HB Odendaal, 17 Heiko Pohlmann, 18 Luca Trevisan, 19 Morne Venter, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Ellie Meyer, 22 Manuel Rass, 21 Alzeadon Felix.

Venue: Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
Kick-off: 18.00 (16.00)
Referee: Excellent Mnkomo

Additional source: SA Rugby

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