A fired-up Hollywoodbets Sharks team are looking to bag a rare coastal derby double over the Stormers when they collide in a humdinger at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in the URC on Saturday.
Saturday 31 January
Hollywoodbets Sharks | Draw | Stormers
Hollywoodbets Kings Park
Match context
The hosts head into this one off the back of a comprehensive 30-19 win in the reverse fixture in Cape Town and, despite having inevitably picked up one or two bruises along the way, appear to be rearing to go this week.
Since the URC began, the Sharks are yet to beat the Stormers twice in a single campaign, with Saturday’s win marking their first in the Mother City since South Africa’s franchises left Super Rugby following the suspension of the 2020 season.
The significance of that outcome has the potential to truly drive on the Durbanites, who are placed 11th overall and trailing the top eight by two-log points. Speaking in a press conference on Tuesday, skipper Andre Esterhuizen emphasised his side’s desire to truly back up their latest performance at home this weekend, intimating that only truly finding true consistency will see the achieve their quarterfinal ambitions this term after such a slow start.
With the Six Nations break commencing after this weekend’s action, and the Sharks’ next game only coming on 21 February against the Lions, getting another positive outcome will be huge here, especially considering they could go as high as eighth come the conclusion of the round.
For the Stormers, payback will be on the brain as well as the hunger to immediately course correct and keep up the heat on new leaders Glasgow Warriors, on whom they have a game in hand. For a team with such massive aspirations, it’s likely that they’ll be hitting back as hard as they can in Durban, which could be a scary prospect for JP Pietersen’s side.
Players to watch
Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Given The Weekend Special’s injury-enforced absence from much of the Springboks’ 2025 Test campaign, there was no better way to announce his return to form than by delivering a Man of the Match display at Cape Town Stadium against a side containing his direct rival for the green and gold No 15 shirt, even if said rival (a certain Damian Willemse) was playing inside centre.
With so much riding on the Sharks being able to back up their performance last week, there is perhaps no one that could better encapsulate that spirit than the former Dale College man, whose presence in back play and on attack should be a deciding factor for his franchise once more.
Cobus Reinach (Stormers)
Playing at his old stomping ground, Reinach’s role will be amplified on Saturday given the tricky Durban conditions. Games in KZN this time of year are notoriously stop-start, where knock-ons and unforced errors abound in the humidity. Given the Stormers’ penchant for attack-oriented play, the scrumhalf’s service off the base will be as vital as ever in allowing the likes of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Willemse to play their natural game.
If Reinach’s error count isn’t low, his team have very little chance at gaining proper momentum and stamping their mark on the contest.
Tactical overview
Key for the Sharks in their victory last week was touching down early in each half, which immediately rattled the Stormers and put the former firmly in control of the contest, something which they never relinquished.
While Willemse’ quick response to that initial score was certainly a positive for his side, the reality was that they were still on the backfoot following an ensuing missed conversion from Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
If Pietersen’s charges can cross the chalk first again, the alarm bells may start to go off for the away side, who could begin to experience an unwanted sense of déjà vu.
Much of the discourse in the lead-up to that matchup centred around the Stormers’ brutally effective rolling maul, which has dominated most of the clubs they’ve faced over the course of the season.
However, it was the men in black and white who ended up giving the Capetonians a taste of their own medicine by scoring two barnstorming maul tries of their own through Jason Jenkins (the opener) and Phepsi Buthelezi just six-minutes after halftime.
While the Stormers are likely to be much more wary of their opponents’ strengths this week, the Sharks would do well to back themselves again and go for the jugular once more in this facet. And with Big Bongi Mbonambi back, they will be even better equipped.
Given the humid Durban summer climate, the conditions won’t favour too much flash with ball in hand, meaning Saturday’s scoreline is unlikely to be as high-scoring as it was last week, something which will put even more pressure on execution, with the more clinical side set to come away with the goods.
Prediction
This resurgent Hollywoodbets Sharks team may not be where they want to be yet according to Coach JP, but their passion and desire should still be enough to indeed see them back up last week’s performance by delivering the Stormers another knockout blow. Get on the hosts to take it on the board.
