Coach Ivan van Rooyen has named an exciting match 23 ahead of his side’s opening Vodacom United Rugby Championship encounter against two-time finalists the DHL Stormers at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday at 16:05.
The Lions boss has opted for experience and consistency with the likes of Corne Fourie and Ruan Dreyer upfront as well as skipper Marius Louw, Sanele Nohamba and fullback Quan Horn who’ve all featured prominently last season.
The Johannesburg side is aiming for an improvement on last year’s edition of the competition where they missed out on a play-off spot, making this Saturday an opportunity to start well against a team determined to maintain their status in the tournament.
A man familiar with success in a Lions jersey is Corne Fourie, who has returned to Doornfontein on loan and straight into the starting loosehead jumper as cover for the injured JP Smith. Fourie also represented the DHL Stormers in Super Rugby and knows what to expect from the John Dobson-led side.
“I was fortunate enough to play a season at the Stormers. I know the personnel and calibre of players they have. Coach John Dobson prides his pack on good first phase, mauls, lineouts, scrums etc. That’s where he wants to launch- from set piece, allowing the backline to run and do the flashy things the Stormers are known for.” he recalls.
Speaking earlier this week, new member of the Lions management team Barend Pieterse says he has been impressed with the team’s work rate during the pre-season and leading up to Saturday’s clash with the Cape side. Fresh from his role with Namibian national rugby team, the former Lions man is no stranger to European competition having coached at the Southern Kings in the then Pro 14.
“The way the guys train, the work they do off the field and before training; they are in here early doing their pre and rehab consistently therefore you can’t fault their effort in all the training sessions I’ve been involved in, which bodes well for the season ahead.
Something else that’s encouraging is that we’ve kept the core of the side from last season which is important for us. This helps us with building a bit of consistency which could be the key pillar for our success not only ahead of Saturday, but for the season,” he concludes.
The bench boasts power and pace with Willem Alberts and Ruan Venter being tasked to provide the hurt factor, with the explosive halfback Morne van den Berg and 2022 SA ‘A’ representative Henco van Wyk making a welcome return after a lengthy time on the sidelines.
Emirates Lions: 1. Corne Fourie, 2. PJ Botha, 3. Ruan Dreyer, 4. Ruben Schoeman, 5. Darrien-Lane Landsberg, 6. Sibusiso Sangweni, 7. Emmanuel Tshituka, 8. Francke Horn, 9. Sanele Nohamba, 10. Jordan Hendrikse, 11. Rabz Maxwane, 12. Marius Louw (c), 13. Manuel Rass, 14. Richard Kriel, 15. Quan Horn. Replacements: 16. Jaco Visagie, 17. Morgan Naude, 18. Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19. Willem Alberts, 20. Ruan Venter, 21. Morne van den Berg, 22. Henco van Wyk, 23. Andries Coetzee.