This early Sunday morning Round 14 Super Rugby clash sees the Stormers travelling to Durban to play the Sharks. Join The Roar from 1:15am (AEST) for all the live action as we cover this Round 14 match from Australia.
This should be a cracking encounter with two finals-bound sides squaring off, the Stormers well clear at the top of their division while the Sharks are out on their own for the African wildcard position.
There will be no quarter given here today as both these rivals look for momentum heading towards the playoffs.
Both sides are coming off wins last weekend, the Sharks leaving it late to put away the Sunwolves in Singapore last round while the Stormers scrapped their way to a win over the visiting Blues at Newlands, the only overseas side to win two this season against New Zealand opposition.
The most notable change for either side tonight is the inclusion of Kurt Coleman at first five for the Stormers, replacing Dillyn Leyds who moves back to his more regular position on the wing.
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One can expect a typically confrontational derby between these two traditional rivals and a particularly interesting area to observe will be the fight between the two quality second rows, the Stormers Springbok pairing of Eben Eztebeth and Pieter Steph du Toit up against the underrated Ruan Botha and Stephan Lewies.
I am expecting fireworks here and the respective performances from both pairings will go a long way for their respective sides prospects this morning.
Tip
Sharks by 3. Always a difficult side to play in Durban, I am picking the home side to edge a thriller.
Join us here live on The Roar for kickoff at 1:15am AEST and feel free to leave your thoughts on the match below!
Digby
Roar Guru
Cheers mate, thanks for the company!
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Digger... thanks mate for the company ... I'm off to the passion pit... night..
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Commiserations Harry but your guys are going to the playoffs regardless as Bulls cannot catch you...
Digby
Roar Guru
Cheers for checking in folks, Brumbies up in four hours or so, enjoy your Sunday!!
Digby
Roar Guru
Enjoyed that, good, hard slugfest. Great stuff!
Digby
Roar Guru
THE SHARKS HAVE DEFEATED THE STORMERS BY 22 POINTS TO 10 IN DURBAN
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Yep the Sharks defence has been suffocating ... a deserved win ... but will not make any difference to the playoffs ...
Digby
Roar Guru
TMO.......cant see anything in there.......no try, and that is fulltime! SHARKS 22 STORMERS 10
Digby
Roar Guru
79' Sharks scrum, 15 from their own line, Penalty Stormers! Angle Taken quickly, Stormers banging on the door, Notshe cant find room, one out, Ezteneth a few short, pick and go, just short, head down, Sharks D holding, Kolisi almost there, 8 phases, close again, ...........Stormers appealing here............................held up the call.........TMO...........called no try, now checking........ SHARKS 22 STORMERS 10
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
All the Stormers have to play for now is a losing bonus point...
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Ohh no.... a butchered try by the Stormers....
Digby
Roar Guru
76' Sharks scrum from the penalty, 5 out, won, April well taken, kicked ahead. Kolbe, chasing hard, Nkosi gets there, Lewies head down, Sharks box kick, Leyds loses it, Candle Wyk to Nkosi, up to the 22, Walt now, Mvovo tries to step through, Deysel now, 15 out, pick and go, clock winding down, lost, Stormers, they play on, up to their 22 line, desperate stuff, Eztebeth a run, up to the 10, Leyds jinks and dies at the line, Senatla, stab through, Sharks dive on it, Mtembu a carry, one out here, two minutes to go, Beast again, box kick, Senatla takes, Marais running, Leyds in a gap, out to Kolbe cheese, Stormers, still going, inside the 22, ohhhhhhhh, lost, what a movement! SHARKS 22 STORMERS 10
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
take the points and Stormers cannot win... but going for BP ... fair enough
Digby
Roar Guru
Sharks D too good today, has been excellent really
Digby
Roar Guru
74' Sharks lineout, 15 out, won, but messy, two from the ruck, Du Preez, explodes through the ruck, April almost through, Beeeeeeeeeeast now, 5 out, Penalty Sharks! Off feet SHARKS 22 STORMERS 10
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
There is some feeling out there Digger.... 7 mins to go... Stormer's not looking likely to score twice
Digby
Roar Guru
73' Sharks scrum, 15 from halfway, won, Reinach, darts away blind, kicks ahead, Stormers get back, Marais inside his 22, wide to Kolisi, outside his 22, Notshe a run, loose pass, Senatla hammered into touch! SHARKS 22 STORMERS 10
Digby
Roar Guru
OH NO! STORMERS KICK IT DEAD FROM THE PENALTY, AWFUL MISTAKE!
Digby
Roar Guru
69' Stormers scrum, 25 out, one reset, in now, won, through the hands, Stormers throwing everything in here, Marais an offload to de Jongh, Eztebeth, 15 out, Kolisi well covered, Marais again, Kolbe dances around, Senatla cant find a gap, ball loose, hacked down town, Leyds is there, Penalty Stormers!! High tackle SHARKS 22 STORMERS 10
Digby
Roar Guru
68' Sharks lineout from the penalty, just past their 22, won, maul formed, going nowhere, cant get it out, Stormers scrum! SHARKS 22 STORMERS 10