Veteran lock Willem Alberts returns to the Emirates Lions starting line-up as they reshuffled their side for their EPCR Challenge Cup match against Benetton in Treviso on Saturday evening.
Let's get ready for knockout rugby this Saturday! These are the 23 who'll be tasked to do the things in Treviso.
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) April 5, 2024
🆚 @benettonrugby
🏆: @epcr_challengecup
🗓: Sat, 6 Apr
⏰: 18:30
🏟 : Stadio Monigo #LionsPride🦁 pic.twitter.com/L1KYyEOuu1
In some interesting other changes the Lions have a very new midfield combination Richard Kriel moving from wing to outside centre while Zander du Plessis, who normally plays flyhalf or fullback at inside centre.
This means that Rabz Maxwane is back on the left wing, having recovered from injury while Andries Coetzee also returns to the match 23 after recovering from an injury. Stean Pienaar is on the other wing.
Hanru Sirgel gets the nod at 8 with Francke Horn dropping onto the bench while Sanele Nohamba is rested for the game.
Morne van den Berg will start at nine with Nico Steyn on the bench. JP Smith and PJ Botha are also rested as Morgan Naude, Jaco Visagie and Conraad van Vuuren are the front row.
Scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys is under no illusions of what Benetton will bring to this knockout fixture, a side bursting at the seams with Italian internationals, fresh from a successful Six Nations campaign.
“They are a team with a lot of Italian internationals coming from, in their eyes, a really successful Six Nations so they’ll be full of confidence coming into this game. I’m sure they’ll also take confidence from their last-minute win against Connacht last weekend in the URC.”
“This weekend’s game is knockout rugby, and it requires a different strategy. You don’t need to earn bonus points, you just have to win – even if it’s like the Springboks [with last year’s World Cup] with just one point,”
“Right now, our big goal is to be consistent in our performances. We have already delivered very good performances this season, but also played poorly a few times and let ourselves down,” he concluded.
TEAM: Andries Coetzee, Stean Pienaar, Richard Kriel, Zander du Plessis, Rabz Maxwane; Jordan Hendrikse, Morne van den Berg, Hanru Sirgel, Emmanuel Tshituka, JC Pretorius, Darrien Landsberg, Willem Alberts, Conraad van Vuuren, Jaco Visagie (captain), Morgan Naude.
Replacements: Morne Brandon, Ruan Dreyer, Ruan Smith, Ruan Delport, Izan Esterhuizen, Francke Horn, Nico Steyn, Erich Cronje.