Super Rugby Unlocked: Sharks vs Lions, preview and kick-off time

Sanele Nohamba of the Sharks scores a try during the 2020 Super Rugby match against the Bulls at Kings Park Stadium in Durban on 31 January 2020 Photo: ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

The Sharks will host the Lions in the opening match of the first edition of the Super Rugby Unlocked tournament on Friday evening at Kings Park.

SHARKS VS LIONS: SUPER RUGBY UNLOCKED PREVIEW

The Super Rugby Unlocked champion will be the team with the most log points at the end of the competition (a single round of seven matches per team) concluding on 21 November 2020.

SHARKS

New acquisitions Manie Libbok and Werner Kok were named in the starting team for the opening encounter of Super Rugby Unlocked.

Libbok recently joined from the Bulls and will run out at fullback, while Kok, a former Blitzbok stalwart, will start at left wing.

Coach Sean Everitt selected 13 players who featured in last Saturday’s Springbok Showdown between the Green and Gold squads, including the entire front row.

LIONS

Jaco Visagie, Rabz Maxwane, Burger Odendaal and EW Viljoen are all set to make their first appearances for the Lions’ visit to Durban.

Odendaal (centre) and Visagie (hooker) are former Bulls players who made the switch across the Jukskei River from Pretoria to Johannesburg during the lockdown, while the versatile Viljoen, who can operate with equal efficiency in midfield, previously played for the Stormers.

Maxwane (wing) also relocated to Johannesburg recently after making a name for himself as a try-scoring machine for the Cheetahs in the PRO14.

SHARKS VS LIONS: PREVIOUS SUPER RUGBY CLASHES

Date Home Team Away Team Score Winner

1-May-96 Shk Lio 49-13 Sharks
17-May-97 Lio Shk 42-8 Lions
28-Apr-07 Shk Lio 33-3 Sharks
15-Mar-08 Lio Shk 8-16 Sharks
21-Feb-09 Shk Lio 25-10 Sharks
17-Apr-10 Lio Shk 28-32 Sharks
9-Apr-11 Shk Lio 27-3 Sharks
11-Jun-11 Lio Shk 30-30 Draw
10-Mar-12 Shk Lio 32-20 Sharks
2-Jun-12 Lio Shk 38-28 Lions
8-Mar-14 Shk Lio 37-23 Sharks
12-Apr-14 Lio Shk 12-25 Sharks
21-Feb-15 Shk Lio 29-12 Sharks
11-Apr-15 Shk Lio 23-21 Lions
9-Apr-16 Shk Lio 9-24 Lions
2-Jul-16 Lio Shk 37-10 Lions
1-Apr-17 Lio Shk 34-29 Lions
15-Jul-17 Shk Lio 10-27 Lions
22-Jul-17 Lio Shk 23-21 Lions
17-Feb-18 Lio Shk 26-19 Lions
30-Jun-18 Shk Lio 31-24 Sharks
05-Apr-19 Lio Shk 5-42 Sharks
25-May-19 Shk Lio 27-17 Sharks

SHARKS VS LIONS, 9 OCTOBER 2020: KICK-OFF TIME, WHERE TO WATCH

Date: Friday, 9 October 2020

Time: 19:00

Venue: Jonsson Kings Park, Durban

Referee: AJ Jacobs

Assistant Referees: Paul Mente, Archie Sehlako

Television Match Official: Rasta Rasivhenge

TV: SuperSport Rugby and CSN

Streaming: DStv Now

SHARKS TEAM

15 Manie Libbok*, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Werner Kok*, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Phepsi Buthelezi, 6 James Venter, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Dylan Richardson, 1 Ox Nche.

Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste*, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 JJ van der Mescht, 20 Celimpilo Gumede*, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Thaakir Abrahams*.

* denotes debut

LIONS TEAM

15 EW Viljoen, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Burger Odendaal, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Elton Jantjies (captain), 9 Dillon Smit; 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sti Sithole. Replacements (from): 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 MJ Pelser, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Morné van den Berg, 23 Gianni Lombard, 24 Wandisile Simelane, 25 Ruan Dreyer.