As a follow-up to the previous three articles pertaining to news about the Australian, New Zealand and Africa 1 conferences, this article provides detail on the fourth conference, Africa 02.

Proudly containing the Kings, Lions, Sharks and Jaguares, it is one of the more interesting conferences to analyse.

Not only because there are two new teams within the one conference, but because squads and extended squads are still being finalised for some and the amount of transfers to the Sharks’ forward pack will make their team slightly unrecognisable from last season.

JAGUARES SUPER RUGBY PAGE

Let’s skip the preamble and have a look at what we can expect.

Kings (new team)
Projected finish in Africa 02 conference: fourth

Squad (to be finalised January 4)
Props: Jacobie Adriaanse, Tom Botha, Schalk Ferreira
Hooker: Edgar Marutlulle
Locks: Cornell Hess, Tyler Paul, Steven Sykes
Backrow: Thembelani Bholi, Stefan Willemse, CJ Velleman, Aidon Davis, Junior Pokomela
Scrumhalf: James Hall, Kevin Luiters
Flyhalf: Louis Fouche, Shane Gates, Elgar Watts
Centres: JP du Plessis, Stefan Watermeyer
Wing: Siyanda Grey
Fullback: Malcolm Jaer

Coach: Deon Davids (formerly coach of SWD Eagles)

The lack of information given above should be enough to know that the Kings are going to be underdone during this year’s competition. So far only 20 players have been signed, not even enough to fill a match-day squad, and of that list I struggled to put together a XV in which each player has actually played in the position that’s been listed next to them.

On top of that, the team that has been listed shouldn’t strike fear into anyone, with the majority of players coming across from other South African sides where they could barely get a gig on the bench.

Unless the remaining signings are all Test-quality players, the Kings will struggle to outdo anyone in the competition. The centres combination of Stefan Watermeyer and JP du Plessis is actually quite alright, and the locks Steven Sykes and Cornell Hess should be able to cause trouble during lineouts.

But until the rest of the squad has been named I can’t say much else about a team that is only still in the competition because of a financial lifeboat from higher powers in South African rugby. Good luck, Kings, I hope you can develop some talent and claim some wins, but it’ll take something special.

Potential XV for opening game
1. Jacobie Adriaanse
2. Edgar Marutlulle
3. Schalk Ferreira
4. Cornell Hess
5. Steven Sykes
6. Thembelani Bholi
7. Stefan Willemse
8. Aidon Davis
9. Kevin Luiters
10. Elgar Watts
11. Siyanda Grey
12. Stefan Watermeyer
13. JP du Plessis
14. Malcolm Jaer
15. Louis Fouche

Lions
Place at the end of 2015 regular season: eighth
Projected finish in Africa 02 conference: third

Players in: All additional players to the 2015 competition were named in the extended/training squad.

Players out: Schalk van der Merwe (Montpellier), Mark Pretorius (SWD Eagles), Kwagga Smith (SA Sevens), Lohan Jacobs (released), Alwyn Hollenbach (retired), Mark Richards (Eastern Province Kings).

Extended playing/training squad: Justin Ackerman, Ruan Ackermann, JW Bell, Fabian Booysen, Cyle Brink, Ashlon Davids, Bobby de Wee, Lourens Erasmus, Selom Gavor, Lloyd Greeff, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Koch Marx, Jacques Nel, Ramone Samuels, Pieter Scholtz, Ricky Schroeder, Victor Sekekete, Dylan Smith, Gerdus van der Walt and Jano Venter.

The Lions are a confusing beast as I can only source the five players above who are leaving and there don’t appear to be any new faces incoming outside of the Currie Cup as of yet.

In saying that, the Lions produced their best season to date last year and were only one or two wins away from being in the finals. I guess Johan Ackermann’s motto was why mess with a winning combo?

The starting team should be fairly similar to the one that outperformed expectations in 2015, but they’ll need to keep continuing these improved performances to stand a chance in the newly formatted Super Rugby tournament.

The backrow combination of Warwick Tecklenburg, Jaco Kriel and Warren Whitely is seriously underrated, expect some more havoc to be wreaked around ruck time by these gentlemen. Throw in a formidable front row, reliable starting and reserve halves options and a wealth of exciting centres and wings and it’s not crazy to think the Lions are capable of going far in this tournament.

However, they lack the depth of other teams and it will take a near-perfect run of injury-free games to keep this team in the hunt. I hope they do better than I think they will, but they’re an unpredictable bunch these men from Johannesburg, so we’ll have to wait and see.

Potential XV for opening game
1. Corne Fourie
2. Robbie Coetzee
3. Ruan Dreyer
4. Andries Ferreira
5. Franco Mostert
6. Jaco Kriel
7. Warwick Tecklenburg
8. Warren Whitely
9. Faf de Klerk
10. Elton Jantjies
11. Courtnall Skosan
12. Harold Vorster
13. Lionel Mapoe
14. Ruan Combrinck
15. Andries Coetzee

Sharks
Place at the end of 2015 regular season: 11th
Projected finish in Africa 02 conference: first

Players in: Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), Chiliboy Ralepelle (unattached – available only as of April 2016), Ruan Botha (Stormers), David McDuling (Reds), Jacques Potgieter (Waratahs), Philip van der Walt (Biarritz), Paul Jordaan (Natal Sharks), Wandile Mjekevu (Perpignan), Willie le Roux (Cheetahs), Joe Pietersen (Cheetahs).

Players out: Matt Stevens (Toulon), Jannie du Plessis (Montpellier), Bismarck du Plessis (Montpellier), Mouritz Botha (Newcastle Falcons), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers), Marco Wentzel (released), Willem Alberts (Stade Francais), Ryan Kankowski (SA Sevens), Cameron Wright (Montpellier), Lionel Cronje (released), Fred Zeilinga (Cheetahs), Waylon Murray (released), Francois Steyn (Montpellier), Paul Perez (released), Jack Wilson (Otago), SP Marais (Eastern Province Kings).

Extended playing/training squad: Lukhanyo Am, Hyron Andrews, Garth April, Christiaan de Bruin, Johan Deysel, Jean-Luc du Preez, Gerhard Engelbrecht, Francois Kleinhans, Sias Koen, Marius Louw, Mzamo Majola, Sibusiso Nkosi, Barend Potgieter, Innocent Radebe, Juan Schoeman and Ayron Schramm.

The Sharks, who are nearly single-handedly supplying their affiliate Jake White’s Montpellier side, are looking dangerous after a disappointing 2015 by their own lofty standards.

Some smart imports in the form of Coenie Oosthuizen, Jacques Potgieter, Paul Jordaan, Willie le Roux and Joe Pietersen will boost their squad and all players are capable of delivering high-quality performances in the starting team if given the chance.

As is the fashion apparently, no team can have good signings without giving away some of their most talented. The du Plessis brothers, Jannie and Bismarck, are both heading offshore and are followed out the door by Pieter-Steph du Toit, Willem Alberts, Francois Steyn and SP Marais, all of which are big losses for the Sharks.

SP Marais in particular was a very interesting player to watch, it’s a real shame to see him leave, but the door is open for a new look backline to take control of the second African conference. I’m hoping for a breakout year for Andre Esterhuizen, who sadly didn’t get much of a chance in 2015 to demonstrate his mix of power and speed, but if he can link up with any of lethal speedsters Paul Jordaan, Lwazi Mvovo or Willie le Roux, then opposition defences are in for a rude shock.

Another special mention must go to Chiliboy Ralepelle, who will end his two-year, steroid-related ban from rugby on April 10, 2016. The highly experienced Ralepelle was the first black captain of a Springboks team, achieving this remarkable feat while he was only 19, making him the youngest captain at the same time.

Nearly 10 years will have passed since making history and his call-up to the Sharks could be just the revitalisation needed for both the club and for Ralepelle personally, so I want to wish good luck to him.

I’m expecting the Sharks to top their conference, but it may not be as easy as just rocking up despite having two new teams to the competition alongside them.

Potential XV for opening game
1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. Chiliboy Ralepelle
3. Coenie Oosthuizen
4. Ruan Botha
5. Stephan Lewies
6. Marcell Coetzee
7. Jacques Potgieter
8. Renaldo Bothma
9. Cobus Reinach
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Andre Esterhuizen
13. Paul Jordaan
14. JP Pietersen
15. Willie le Roux

Jaguares (new team)
Projected finish in Africa 02 conference: second

Squad
Props: Santiago Garcia Botta, Ramiro Herrera, Lucas Noguera Paz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Hookers: Agustin Creevy, Julian Montoya
Locks: Matias Alemanno, Juan Cruz Guillemain, Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti
Backrow: Rodrigo Baez, Facundo Isa, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Tomas Lezana, Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio, Leonardo Senatore
Scrumhalf: Martin Landajo
Flyhalf: Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Juan Martin Hernandez, Nicholas Sanchez
Centres: Gabriel Ascarate, Emiliano Boffelli, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando
Wings: Santiago Cordero, Manuel Montero, Ramiro Moyano
Fullback: Joaquin Tuculet

Coach: Raul Perez (formerly assistant coach of Argentina)

Welcome to Super Rugby Argentina, specifically los Jaguares! This has to be the most dangerous looking roster on paper out of any team’s debut year in the existing Super Rugby competition.

Boasting a squad where every single player has Test match experience is a feat that not even the Crusaders could muster in their prime, but does this alone guarantee success? I’d like to think it could lead to great things, but the competition is a lot longer and more intense than what the majority of these players would be used to.

There’s no point naming the individual merits of each player, the Jaguares have serious talent in every position and depth to cover the bench comfortably too. After finishing fourth in the 2015 Rugby World Cup in though, it must be said that the players will be primed for combat and that Super Rugby can only further enhance the already dangerous national team.

It’s hard to settle between the fantastical view I have for this team and the slightly more reasoned and logical version that regularly escapes me, but I can’t see this team falling below the bottom half of the ladder and if the travel doesn’t get the better of them, they could feature heavily in the finals.

Be wary any team that has to play the Jaguares in Argentina – that’s when you’re in for a world of hurt. Here’s to a good season in Super Rugby and hopefully it only makes the battles in the Rugby Championship even more hotly contested and tight.

I don’t think many teams will be prepared for the unique attacking pattern that’s in the Argentinian style of rugby, so it’s that aspect of play that I’m looking most forward to from these newcomers. That and Nicholas Sanchez popping over a few drop goals.

Potential XV for opening game
1. Lucas Noguera Paz
2. Agustin Creevy
3. Ramiro Herrera
4. Matias Alemanno
5. Tomas Lavanini
6. Juan Manuel Leguizamon
7. Javier Ortega Desio
8. Leonardo Senatore
9. Martin Landajo
10. Nicholas Sanchez
11. Santiago Cordero
12. Juan Martin Hernandez
13. Jeronimo de la Fuente
14. Manuel Montero
15. Joaquin Tuculet

Well that’s a wrap for this particular segment. I hope I’ve been able to identify some of the teams you may not be as knowledgeable on. If you already knew all this, or if you disagree with certain predictions or opinions, then I hope I’ve helped get you as excited for the 2016 Super Rugby season as I am!

As always, let me know your thoughts on the teams and who you’ll be looking out for and bring on the New Year!