The Emirates Lions announced their match 23 to face Italian club Benetton Rugby this Saturday in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship at Emirates Airline Park. This will be the Johannesburg-based side’s last home game before jetting off to Wales in two weeks for their final fixture of the tournament.
Stean Pienaar returns to the right wing, in a starting XV which sees JP Smith and Carlu Sadie pack down in the front row in concert with hooker PJ Botha.
Earlier this week Emirates Lions Scrum Coach emphasized on the need to execute effectively on the day, especially against a team like Benetton Rugby who have the ability to catch teams off-guard.
“The focus for us this week has been on better decision-making and keeping our structures when it comes to the fundamentals of the game which could ultimately give us the edge over the weekend,” explains the former Bok prop.
While winning is key, Redelinghuys believes laying the foundation and sticking to core processes will go a long way towards the team’s success.
“We all know rugby is rewarding when you win, but to focus on the result won’t necessarily do the job for you. Our processes are what is key for us not only ahead of Saturday, but as building blocks for the future,” he concluded.
Emirates Lions: 15. Quan Horn, 14. Stean Pienaar, 13. Wandisile Simelane, 12. Burger Odendaal (C), 11. Edwill van der Merwe, 10. Jordan Hendrikse, 9. Morne van den Berg, 8. Emmanuel Tshituka, 7. Vincent Tshituka, 6. Francke Horn, 5. Reinhard Nothnagel, 4. Ruben Schoeman, 3. Carlu Sadie, 2. PJ Botha, 1. JP Smith. Replacements: 16. Jaco Visagie, 17. Sti Sithole, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. Ruan Venter, 20. Sibusiso Sangweni, 21. Andre Warner, 22. Manuel Rass, 23. Tiaan Swanepoel.