United Rugby Championship: Six head-to-heads to watch in the South African derbies including Hacjivah Dayimani v Elrigh Louw
Ahead of the two highly anticipated derbies between the South African sides in Round 10 of the United Rugby Championship, we take a closer look at some of the battles which could decide the outcome of the respective matches.
Clashes between South African sides are usually physical and uncompromising battles, and we expect these encounters to be no different. We’ve highlighted six crucial duels which should have an impact on the end result in their respective fixtures. The list, though, could have gone on.
Sharks v Lions
Makazole Mapimpi v Edwill van der Merwe
A current Springbok wing faces a man who is very much putting himself in the frame for an international call-up. The Lions speedster has been in stunning form this season and is a big reason as to why they are play-off contenders in 2022/23. He may not have scored the tries his play has deserved, but van der Merwe’s all-round game has helped the Johannesburg outfit to five victories in eight matches. His pace and balance causes all types of problems for opposition defences, while he also reads the game well.
Ultimately, the Lions man is unfortunate that there are so many quality wings around in South Africa. Mapimpi is one of those stopping his progression, with the 32-year-old becoming a key component of the South African set-up since making his debut in 2018. Despite losing his place for one game during the Autumn Nations Series, the wing is still a key part of the team and showed his qualities with a brace against Harlequins in the Champions Cup. However, with him on the wrong side of 30, he is under pressure for his place, and van der Merwe is one of those looking to force his way into the squad. A good performance here will certainly make the coaches sit up and take notice of the 26-year-old.
Curwin Bosch v Jordan Hendrikse
Talking of Springbok hopefuls, these two have something to prove, especially with Jacques Nienaber struggling to find his first choice 10. At the moment, Damian Willemse and Manie Libbok have put themselves ahead of the rest, while Handre Pollard is a favourite of the coaches, particularly given his exploits in the last World Cup. However, that doesn’t mean these two can’t force their way into the reckoning, and this is a vital match to show their talents.
Sharks playmaker Bosch has long been touted as a potential star for the national team, but he has struggled to show any consistency during his career. His best position has long been debated but, at the moment, he is very much seen as the Sharks’ first choice fly-half. The 25-year-old has only just returned from injury but looks a player that is determined to finally fulfil his promise, having starred in Champions Cup victories over Harlequins and Bordeaux-Begles. Hendrikse, meanwhile, did not have the easiest starts to the season but has gradually forced his way into the number 10 shirt. At just 21, he is supremely talented, so it is set to be a fascinating battle between these two.
Vincent Tshituka v Emmanuel Tshituka
The Tshituka brothers face off for the first time since Vincent left the Johannesburg outfit to join the Sharks. The pair were box office quality when working in tandem for the Lions last season but will look to nullify each other’s impact on Friday. Although older brother Vincent has been moved into the second-row for the clash, he will undoubtedly have several battles with his younger sibling Emmanuel, who will wear the number six jersey for the Lions.
With Eben Etzebeth dropping out of the side, Vincent will need to pick up the ball-carrying and tackle load for the hosts. Emmanuel is the Lions’ go-to ball carrier, making 67 in his eight URC games while he ranks third for tackles in the squad (46). Although he has featured just four times in the competition for the Sharks, Vincent has made a similarly telling impact to his brother, making 22 carries and 25 tackles. A classic South African derby will feature a furious gain line battle, and the Tshitukas will be at the forefront of that, with a few clashes at the breakdown on the cards too.
Stormers v Bulls
Hacjivah Dayimani v Elrigh Louw
Dayimani has been in scintillating form for the men from the Cape since the Stormers’ return to action from the international break and will be crucial to his team’s cause against their arch-rivals. He usually plays on the blindside flank, but with Springbok back-row Evan Roos currently sidelined through injury, the 25-year-old has been shifted to number eight, where he has stepped up with some outstanding performances. Blessed with the pace of a backline player, Dayimani will be looking to use that speed to break down the visitors’ defence and create attacking opportunities for himself and his team-mates.
He will face a tough adversary in Louw, who was one of the Bulls’ stars during their run to last year’s URC final, which they lost to the Stormers. Since joining the Pretoria-based side from the Southern Kings in 2020, Louw’s game has come on in leaps and bounds, with his ball-carrying and outstanding defensive ability two of the standout features in his armoury. His excellent form was rewarded with a Springbok call-up earlier this year, and he did well at international level before being struck down by injury. He was amongst those players rested by Bulls boss Jake White in the Champions Cup recently and will be highly motivated to do well this weekend.
Just watch him go! 🏃♂️
Hacjivah Dayimani gathers up the loose ball and sprints away for a Stormers try.#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/GpCm2HUzIp
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 17, 2022
Joseph Dweba v Johan Grobbelaar
Like most matches, the forward battle will be crucial at Cape Town Stadium, and Dweba and Grobbelaar will both be vital for their respective teams as they are amongst the leading hookers in the competition. After some underwhelming performances at Test level, Dweba was dropped from South Africa’s national side after the Rugby Championship. However, he put that disappointment behind him and has been one of the Stormers’ star performers since joining them from Bordeaux-Begles at the start of the season. Dweba has hit the ground running, with the implementation of his core duties really catching the eye.
He received plenty of criticism for his lineout throwing while with the Boks, but he has worked hard at that facet of play, while he is also strong as a ball carrier and is competitive at the breakdown. His direct opponent, Grobbelaar, is also strong in both those departments and is one of the rising stars of the South African game. The former Springbok U20 representative came to the fore with several outstanding performances during the Bulls’ inaugural URC campaign and many supporters believe he is unlucky not to have represented South Africa in the international arena yet. An ankle injury kept him on the sidelines during the early part of the season, but he is back to full fitness and will be champing at the bit to do well in this match.
Leolin Zas v Cornal Hendricks
Two experienced campaigners square off on the wings at DHL Stadium in Cape Town. Zas makes his sixth appearance for the Stormers in the competition and will be out to edge ahead of Hendricks on the try-scoring charts, with the pair dotting down twice before Friday’s clash. Hendricks heads into the match off the back of a two-week break, while Zas featured in both of the Stormers’ Champions Cup fixtures, scoring a try and assisting another in their 20-point win over London Irish last weekend. The Stormers flyer has been potent in space for the hosts averaging over 10 metres per carry, while Hendricks has been a critical cog in the Bulls’ attack, splitting his time between outside centre and the right wing.
With Manie Libbok and Chris Smith starting in the fly-half jerseys, both wingers will have a busy day under the high ball – particularly for Zas, as Smith has kicked more cross-field kicks than any other South African pivot in the tournament. Outside of Angelo Davids, the two wingers lead the way for clean breaks for their respective sides. Considering that the last five URC meetings between the two have been decided by five points or less, their ability to capitalise on those breaks could determine this encounter’s outcome.