Photo Credit: Gallo Images
After playing well but coming unstuck in their first two fixtures, the Emirates Lions host their first home game of the campaign when they welcome the unbeaten early pace-setters, the Toyota Cheetahs, to Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday at 16h30.
Last weekend, the team of Hawies Fourie (coach) battled their way to a close-fought 19-17 win over the Vodacom Bulls and as a result of their second successive win, the Toyota Cheetahs are the current the log leaders with nine points.
"It's going to be interesting to see how it feels playing away as I think the home ground advantage will be gone with no spectators allowed at games," said Fourie.
"We have a bus ride of five hours awaiting us and the big thing for us will be to get over the travel and focus on what we need to do."
Tian Meyer will replace the Toyota Cheetahs' injured skipper and scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar in the Free Staters starting team for Saturday's encounter, with Junior Pokomela taking over as captain.
Pienaar, the experienced former Bok No 9, sustained a serious knee injury in the previous round.
Pokomela, a former Junior Springbok, took over the captaincy last weekend after Pienaar limped off early in their win over the Vodacom Bulls, and will now lead the side in their first away match of the revamped season.
The Emirates Lions were dealt a big blow in the build-up to their match against the Toyota Cheetahs in Johannesburg when regular skipper Elton Jantjies was forced to withdraw with a calf injury he sustained in training earlier in the week.
As a result of Jantjies’ injury, Dan Kriel (centre) – twin brother of Springbok midfielder Jesse Kriel – will lead the Emirates Lions at Emirates Airline Park, with Gianni Lombard taking over at flyhalf.
In the only other changes to the starting team, Wandisile Simelane comes in to rekindle his partnership with Kriel in the midfield, and MJ Pelser gets the nod at flank.
Emirates Lions: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Dan Kriel (captain), 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 MJ Pelser, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sti Sithole. Replacements: 16 PJ Botha, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Jannie du Plessis, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Stean Pienaar, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel.
Toyota Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Malcolm Jaer, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Junior Pokomela (captain), 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Charles Marais. Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Erich de Jager, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Aidon Davis, 21 Chris Massyn, 22 Ruben de Haas, 23 William Small-Smith.