Lions reshuffle their pack

The Emirates Lions have reshuffled their pack in anticipation for the challenge of facing the BluesAuckland on Saturday morning, but in the process left out their one star of the tour thus far.

Coach Ivan van Rooyen made two changes to the loose trio and moved Willem Alberts to lock, but dropped Ruben Schoeman out of the match day 23 altogether, despite the lock being the team’s best forward in their loss against the Melbourne Rebels.

While no explanation was given for the move, it may well be to give Schoeman a rest as he has played all five games thus far this season.

Ruan Vermaak moves into the blindside flank jersey, with Hacjivah Dayimani coming in at No 8, moving Alberts to partner Marvin Orie at lock. Vermaak’s inclusion sees Len Massyn drop out of the starting line-up.

At tighthead Frans van Wyk gets his first start of the season while in the backline Mannie Rass returns to the starting line-up to replace the injured Wandisile Simelane, with Jamba Ulengo recovering sufficiently from a quad contusion to move into the right wing spot, with Courtnal Skosan on the left.

Simelane was not considered due to a Grade 1 MCL tear in the right knee and will be reassessed in the coming week.

Tyrone Green moves from the wing to fullback with Andries Coetzee missing out this week.

Schoeman made 40 metres in six carries, beat two defenders and had one clean break on attack last weekend and was praised by the commentators as well for his work-rate. While the silence out of the Lions camp may not mean anything more than a lack of communication, the move is a bit perplexing.

It could well be that to accommodate the loose trio, the Lions simply needed to find a spot for Alberts, and hence the shift but for a team under pressure it is an interesting shift.

The Lions are currently at the bottom of the South African conference log after just one win in five games and are winless on tour thus far. They will be desperate for a win in New Zealand to turn their fortunes around.

Emirates Lions: Tyrone Green; Jamba Ulengo, Mannie Rass, Dan Kriel, Courtnall Skosan, Elton Jantjies, Andre Warner; Hacjivah Dayimani, Ruan Vermaak, Marnus Schoeman, Marvin Orie, Willem Alberts, Frans van Wyk, Jan-Henning Campher, Dylan Smith.

Reserves: Pieter Jansen, Sti Sithole, Carlu Sadie, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Len Massyn, Morne van den Berg, Shaun Reynolds, Andries Coetzee.