Photo Credit: Speedshots.co.za
The Emirates Lions will host the Phakisa Pumas in the second match of Round six of the Super Rugby Unlocked championship at Emirates Airline Park at 16h30 on Saturday.
This match will not have any influence on the outcome of the Super Rugby Unlocked Championship with the Lions currently fifth and the Pumas sixth on the competition log. The Lions has definitely shown an upwards curve on the field and should win this one with a certain amount of ease.
Emirates Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen recalled three Springboks into his starting team. The Bok trio of Ruan Dreyer (prop), Willem Alberts (lock) and Ross Cronje (scrumhalf) are all back in the run-on team in place of Sti Sithole, Marvin Orie and Morne van den Berg respectively.
Swanepoel, who made his Emirates Lions debut against the Jaguares in February, replaces injured Gianni Lombard.
Former Junior Springbok wing Luther Obi has been named in the place of the injured Neil Maritz in the Phakisa Pumas' starting team for Saturday's Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked fixture with the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg.
The strong running Maritz, who has scored four tries thus far in the competition, sustained a shoulder injury against the Cell C Sharks two weeks ago and is set for few months on the sidelines.
Former Tafel Lager Griquas scrumhalf Chriswill September has been included in the starting line-up for the first time in a rotational switch with Ginter Smuts.
Upfront, Morgan Naudé (loosehead prop) and Simon Westraadt (hooker) are the other two changes in the pack, replacing Liam Hendricks and AJ le Roux respectively.
There is also a new No 8 in Willie Engelbrecht, who moves to the back of the scrum in the place of Jeandré Rudolph, who has joined the Toyota Cheetahs. Phumzile Maqondwane takes over at blindside flank.
Emirates Lions: 15 Tiaan Swanepoel, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies (captain), 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 MJ Pelser, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Ruan Dreyer. Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Hacjivah Dayimani, 21 André Warner, 22 Dan Kriel, 23 Divan Rossouw.
Phakisa Pumas: 15 Devon Williams 14 Etienne Taljaard, 13 Erich Cronjé, 12 Wayne van der Bank, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Fiela Boshoff, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Phumzile Maqondwane, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Pieter Janse van Vuren (captain), 4 Darrien Landsburg, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Morgan Naudé. Replacements: 16 HP van Schoor, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Ig Prinsloo, 19 Brandon Valentyn, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Ginter Smuts, 22 Tapiwa Mafura, 23 Ali Mgijima.