The Emirates Lions have signalled their intentions of using the altitude as an ally by naming a powerful and potentially game-breaking bench for Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with the DHL Stormers in Johannesburg.
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Coach Ivan van Rooyen has Jaco Visagie, debutant seasoned prop JP Smith, former Bok strongman Jannie du Plessis, the now recovered from injury young flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse and the gifted attacking centre Wandisile Simelane to unleash on the coastal team when the going gets tough for the visitors in the last quarter at Emirates Airlines Park.
The Lions have been boosted by the return to fitness of Hendrikse, who could certainly bring new impetus to both the Lions’ game management and attacking play as an impact sub in the second half. They also have Vincent Tshituka, a star of the first round Lions win over the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium, back in the starting team as blindside flank after his recovery from injury.
That is a significant boost for the Lions, as is the return of experienced centre Burger Odendaal, a frequent tormentor of the Stormers in the past both for the Lions and his former team, the Vodacom Bulls, to the midfield. Odendaal missed last week’s return clash with the Bulls at Loftus due to concussion.
Springbok Jaco Kriel continues as captain from his position on the openside flank and completes a very combative looking loose trio with Tshituka and Franke Horn. The latter was another player who did well against the Stormers in Cape Town when the Lions won unexpectedly at the beginning of December.
“We are pleased to have Vincent and Jordan back in the VURC set-up,” said Van Rooyen in announcing his team.
“They’ve recovered and trained well over the past few weeks, so we are looking forward to having them involved on match day once more. As a group we felt our overall attitude and intensity went up a notch in the second game against the Bulls. It’s the kind of momentum we are eager to take into Saturday on the back of a positive week of training.”
EMIRATES LIONS TEAM:
EW Viljoen, Stean Pienaar, Manuel Rass, Burger Odendaal, Edwill van der Merwe, Tiaan Swanepoel, Andre Warner, Francke Horn, Vincent Tshituka, Jaco Kriel (captain), Ruben Schoeman, Ruan Straeuli, Carlu Sadie, PJ Botha, Ruan Dreyer.
Replacements: Jaco Visagie, JP Smith, Jannie du Plessis, Ruan Venter, Emmanuel Tshituka, Morne van den Berg, Jordan Hendrikse, Wandisile Simelane.
