Durutalo in fifth straight Super Rugby start

Todd Clever’s reputation as being the USA’s biggest contributor to Super Rugby is under threat as New York City’s Andrew Durutalo continued to impress for the Sunwolves. Against the Southern Kings on Saturday Durutalo will play in his fifth straight Super Rugby start.

Durutalo is to be one of two players from the Americas involved for the Japanese Super Rugby franchise. The second player is former Puma Tomás Leonardí who will feature as a replacement back-rower, potentially joining Durutalo on the flanks in the second half.

Their franchise, the Sunwolves are in search of their opening victory. After four rounds the Tokyo based side is winless but this weekend’s match is different as the Japanese side are to come up against a vastly weaker side than most.

The Southern Kings are also winless and the Sunwolves will fancy their chances of keeping it this way at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Three additional Super Rugby matches this weekend are to feature players from the Americas. Tomás Cubelli will play scrum half for the Brumbies against the Chiefs in Canberra while Los Jaguares face the Blues in Auckland. Finally Eagles prop James Hilterbrand will feature from the bench for the Waratahs against the Rebels.

Sunwolves
15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Viliami Lolohea, 13 Harumichi Tatekawa, 12 Yu Tamura, 11 Akihito Yamada, 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Kaito Shigeno, 8 Ed Quirk, 7 Andrew Durutalo, 6 Liaki Moli, 5 Timothy Bond, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 3 Shinnosuke Kakinaga, 2 Shota Horie (capt.), 1 Keita Inagaki

Replacements: 16 Futoshi Mori, 17 Masataka Mikami, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Shinya Makabe, 20 Yoshiya Hosoda, 21 Tomás Leonardi, 22 Yuki Yatomi, 23 Mifiposeti Paea