The Lions are playing the Newcastle Red Bulls in the EPCR Challenge Cup at Kingston Park Stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, at 19:30 (SA Time) today.
This Round 2 match is crucial for the Lions, who are looking to bounce back from a 26-18 defeat to Benetton last weekend. Coach Ivan van Rooyen has heavily rotated the squad, with a younger side and new captain WJ Steenkamp for this clash, and will be without its Springbok players. They will need to adjust to the cold, wet conditions in northern England, which are vastly different from what they are used to.
The Lions must, however, back themselves to give the Newcastle Red Bulls a go. The Johannesburg outfit has had a decent season so far, suffering only three defeats in the Vodacom URC, one of which was by a narrow two points, but they have shown that they have what it takes to deliver the desired results when they hit their straps with morale-boosting victories against the Vodacom Bulls, Ulster and the Scarlets in the last few weeks.
Newcastle started their European campaign strongly with a 23-14 away win over Lyon. Newcastle have been struggling to find momentum after suffering five defeats in their previous six matches before last week. Newcastle are boosted by the return of former England winger Christian Wade, who is set to make his debut for the club. Their strong set-piece and tactical kicking are expected to pose significant threats.
The Lions' rotation means several fringe players have a chance to prove themselves, adding "fresh energy" to the team; however, the expected wintry conditions in Newcastle are a significant advantage for the home side, who are more accustomed to them.
Prediction: Newcastle's recent win in France gives them an edge in confidence, while the Lions will be desperate to avoid a second consecutive loss. Given the Lions' weakened, rotated squad and Newcastle's strong home advantage and recent form, the home side is widely considered the favourite for this encounter.
Teams:
Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Cammy Hutchison, 11 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 10 Ethan Grayson, 9 Sam Stuart, 8 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 7 Tom Christie (c), 6 Tom Gordon, 5 Finn Baker, 4 Oscar Usher, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 Ollie Fletcher, 1 Adam Brocklebank. Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Micky Rewcastle, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Jamie Hodgson, 20 Amanaki Mafi, 21 James Elliott, 22 Brett Connon, 23 Harrison Obatoyinbo
Lions: 15 Gianni Lombard, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 WJ Steenkamp (c), 7 Siba Qoma, 6 Renzo du Plessis, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 RF Schoeman, 2. Morne Brandon, 1 Eddie Davids. Replacements: 16 PJ Botha, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Jarod Cairns, 21 Haashim Pead, 22 Lubabalo Dobela, 23 Rynhard Jonker