JON CARDINELLI looks ahead to the latter four Super Rugby matches in round three of the competition.
KINGS vs STORMERS (Saturday, 15:05)
The Kings look a more competitive unit in 2017. Whether they have improved to the point where they can challenge the Stormers – and claim their first-ever win against South African opposition – is another story.
Coach Robbie Fleck has opted to rest captain Siya Kolisi as well as Jano Vermaak and Seabelo Senatla this week. Injuries to Cheslin Kolbe, Dan Kriel and Jean-Luc du Plessis have led to further changes in the starting backline. Perhaps the Kings will be encouraged by these selections.
The Stormers have scored nine tries in their first two matches. Six of those tries have been scored after four or more phases. No other team has done a better job of building an attack and then crossing the tryline in 2017.
Kings – 15 Masixole Banda, 14 Makazole Mapimpi, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Luzuko Vulinduli, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Rick Schroeder, 8 Riaan Lerm, 7 Themelani Bholi, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Irne Herbst, 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Schalk Ferreira (c).
Subs: 16 Kurt Haupt, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Chris Heiberg, 19 Willem van der Sluys, 20 Andisa Ntsila, 21 Johan Steyn, 22 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 23 Berton Klaasen.
Stormers – 15 SP Marais, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth (c), 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Oli Kebble.
Subs: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Chris Van Zyl, 20 Jaco Coetzee, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Damian Willemse.
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CHEETAHS vs SUNWOLVES (Saturday, 17:15)
The Cheetahs pushed the Lions close in round one and then scored a convincing victory over the Bulls in round two. They should bank a bonus-point win against the Sunwolves, a side that's conceded 120 points in its first two games.
The Sunwolves are still searching for their first away victory since joining the competition in 2016. They're unlikely to get off the mark in Bloemfontein, though. The Cheetahs thrashed the Sunwolves by 75 points at the Free State Stadium last year.
The game presents a big opportunity for the Cheetahs, a team looking to move up the South African group log and into a qualifying spot.
Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Zee Mkhabela, 13 Ryno Benjamin, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Justin Basson, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld (c), 1 Charles Marais.
Subs: 16 Danie Mienie, 17 Elandre Huggett, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Armandt Koster, 20 Henco Venter 21 Niel Marais, 22 Ali Mgijima, 23 Ruan van Rensburg.
Sunwolves – 15 Shota Emi, 14 Takaaki Nakazuru, 13 William Tupou, 12 Derek Carpenter, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Hayden Cripps, 9 Keisuke Uchida, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Shumei Matsuhashi, 6 Ed Quirk, 5 Uwe Hela, 4 Liaki Moli, 3 Yasuo Yamaji, 2 Yusuke Niwai, 1 Koki Yamamoto.
Subs: Atsushi Sakate, 17 Masataka Mikami, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Sam Wykes, 20 Shokei Kin, 21 Kaito Shigeno, 22 Jumpei Ogura, 23 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi.
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SHARKS vs WARATAHS (Saturday, 19:30)
The Sharks picked up five log points on their recent tour to Australia. They will go into the next match against the Waratahs, their first home game of the season, with momentum and confidence.
The Waratahs are coming off a 55-36 loss to the Lions. In that fixture at Ellis Park, the Australian side conceded as many as eight tries as well as two yellow cards. Clearly defence and discipline are not their strong points.
According to Opta, the last five meetings between these sides have been won by the home side on the day. The Waratahs last won in Durban in 2009.
The Sharks have won their last four home games. Not since a run of eight wins on the bounce from 2013 to 2014 have they won more consecutive matches at home.
Sharks – 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jean- Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Curwin Bosch.
Waratahs – 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Reece Robinson, 13 Israel Folau, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Jack Dempsey, 5 David McDuling, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tolu Latu, 1 Tom Robertson.
Subs: 16 Hugh Roach, 17 Paddy Ryan, 18 David Lolohea, 19 Senio Toleafoa, 20 Maclean Jones, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 David Horwitz, 23 Cameron Clark.
JAGUARES vs LIONS (Saturday, 21:40)
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has made as many as nine changes to the XV that fronted the Waratahs in Johannesburg last week. The Lions lead the South African group after two rounds, but that may change if they lose to a much-improved Jaguares side in round three.
The Lions have lost their last three overseas matches, a streak that includes defeats to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires and to the Hurricanes in Wellington in the 2016 final. This Saturday, they could extend that losing run to four.
The Jaguares have conceded 26 turnovers in their opening two games. No team has conceded fewer. The Lions may battle to implement their counter-attacking strategy against the Argentina side this Saturday.
Jaguares – 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Santiago Cordero, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Tomás Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Felipe Arregui, 2 Agustín Creevy (c), 1 Santiago García Botta.
Subs: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Cristian Bartoloni, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Juan Martín Hernández, 23 Matías Moroni.
Lions – 15 Jaco van der Walt, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Shaun Reynolds, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Dylan Smith.
Subs: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Louren Erasmus, 20 Jaco Kriel, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Andries Coetzee, 23 Sylvian Mahuza.
Photo: Andrew Aylett/Getty Images
