A host of international players return to action this weekend as the Vodacom URC moves into round three.
There are first league outings of the season for a number of British and Irish Lions and Springboks.
For their Friday night trip to the Scarlets, the unbeaten Stormers welcome back two men who played key roles in South Africa retaining the Rugby Championship.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who scored a record 37 points in the victory over Argentina in Durban, starts at No 10 while the versatile Damian Willemse lines up at fullback.
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The Scarlets are also boosted by a returning Bok in the shape of hooker Marnus van der Merwe, who featured as a replacement in last month’s stunning 43-10 victory over New Zealand in Wellington.
Fit-again Scotland winger Darcy Graham had been due to start for Edinburgh against Ulster last weekend, only for that game to be postponed due to Storm Amy. Now he will make a belated reappearance in Friday’s meeting with Munster at Limerick’s Thomond Park, with fellow Lions tourists Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman also starting.
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Munster have made 10 changes in the wake of their victory over Cardiff, with URC Playmaker award winner Tom Farrell having his first outing of the campaign in the centre.
Moving on to Saturday, no fewer than five Lions make their season debuts for Leinster as the champions look to bounce back from defeats in their opening two matches of the season out in South Africa.
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Prop Tadhg Furlong, hooker Ronan Kelleher, winger James Lowe, fullback Jamie Osborne and flanker Josh van der Flier all start against the Sharks at the Aviva Stadium, with Van der Flier captaining the team from the openside.
The Sharks are also reinforced by returning internationals with wing Ethan Hooker and hooker Bongi Mbonambi, both involved just a week on from featuring in the victory over Argentina at Twickenham, while fellow South Africa stars Makazole Mapimpi and Vincent Koch are back on duty as well.
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The table-topping Vodacom Bulls have eight Springboks in their starting XV for the trip to Belfast, where they will take on Ulster.
Flyhalf Handré Pollard makes his first appearance for the Pretoria-based franchise since re-joining from Leicester, while centre Canan Moodie and props Wilco Louw and Jan-Hendrik Wessels return after sharing in the 29-27 win over the Pumas at Twickenham.
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There will be internationals aplenty on duty as the Ospreys entertain unbeaten Zebre at Bridgend’s Brewery Field, their home for this season, with Wales captain Dewi Lake at the helm.
It’s a fixture that will see the URC come full circle in this, its 25th season in its various guises.
That’s because the Brewery Field was the setting for the very first Celtic League match – Bridgend vs Pontypridd – on 17 August 2001.
Photo: ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/EJ Langner
The post Test stars return to URC action appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
A host of international players return to action this weekend as the Vodacom URC moves into round three.
The post Test stars return to URC action appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
