Emirates Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has named an unchanged starting XV ahead of his side’s Round 14 Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against the Glasgow Warriors on Saturday at 21:35 (SA Time).
Springbok bruiser Ruan Venter runs out for his 50th international appearance for the franchise and will be eager to impose his physicality against the tournament’s defending champions.
Van Rooyen’s men will be hoping to put last week’s nail-biting 20-17 loss to Cardiff behind them, with a renewed focus towards a play-off finish in what remains a congested log table.
Speaking from Glasgow this week, tight head prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye believes capatilising on opportunities at key moments could have a huge impact on end result at the Scotstoun Stadium.
“Last week was a missed opportunity. we reviewed our game, and we played really well,” said Ntlabakanye.
“Just being clinical at the finishing stages, that’s been a work-on this week – finishing opportunities when we get into those zones.”
Fondly known as the ‘Jozi Bulldozer’, the man who hails from Plettenburg Bay in the Western Cape, believes adapting to conditions in Europe is key, especially when facing a championship side such as Glasgow at home.
“Here in Europe, it’s a bit different, there’s a lot of things that factor into the end result, in that if you don’t really capitalise, the home team knows how to play the conditions. So we need to be better in that aspect,” he concluded.
There is only one change on the bench which sees Rynhardt Jonker replacing Henco van Wyk. The explosive centre returns home after sustaining a foot injury against Cardiff Rugby.
Emirates Lions: 1. Juan Schoeman, 2. PJ Botha, 3. Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 4. Ruben Schoeman, 5. Darrien Landsberg, 6. JC Pretorius, 7. Ruan Venter, 8. Francke Horn (c), 9. Nico Steyn, 10. Gianni Lombard, 11. Edwill van der Merwe, 12. Marius Louw, 13. Manuel Rass, 14. Richard Kriel, 15. Quan Horn. Replacements: 16. Franco Marais, 17. SJ Kotze, 18. RF Schoeman, 19. Ruan Delport, 20. Siba Qoma, 21. Layton Horn, 22. Jarod Cairns, 23. Rynhardt Jonker.