The Emirates Lions have made three changes, including a positional switch, to the side that started in the morale-boosting Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash over Munster for Friday night’s game against the Ospreys at Emirates Airline Park.
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The changes see Rabz Maxwane back on the wing for Stean Pienaar, while the loose trio has been reconfigured to accommodate Emmanuel Tshituka at No 8 Francke Horn played off the back of the scrum against Munster but moves to the openside flank this week, with Sibusiso Sangweni moving from the flank to the bench in the place that Tshituka occupied last Saturday.
While coach Ivan van Rooyen’s decision to stick largely with the combinations that did so well for him against Munster is understandable and a resounding vote of confidence, it is not all plain sailing for the Lions in the final buildup to the Ospreys game as some key players have brackets around them, which is an indication the selected players face late fitness tests.
Fullback Quan Horn is bracketed with Tiaan Swanepoel, who in turn is bracketed on the bench with the Sigma Lions’ starting fullback in the Currie Cup, EW Viljoen. Big tighthead prop Carlu Sadie is the other player bracketed, with Ruan Dreyer the man who will play in his place should he not be ready for Friday’s game.
The Lions’ Currie Cup captain Asenathi Ntlabakanye will fill Dreyer’s place on the bench should Sadie drop out of the starting team.
The Lions aren't in contention currently for a top-eight spot but they've picked up some momentum with two good wins in successive matches and should be confident ahead of the clash with an Ospreys team that their fellow South African teams will be eager to see them beat so it helps their own chances of top-eight qualification. However, even if the Ospreys don't make it into the top half of the final log at the end of the season, they will stand a chance of qualifying for next year's Champions Cup if they win the Welsh Shield.
Emirates Lions team:Quan Horn/Tiaan Swanepoel, Rabz Maxwane, Wandesile Simelane, Burger Odendaal (captain), Edwill van der Merwe, Jordan Hendrikse, Morne van den Berg, Emmanuel Tshituka, Vincent Tshituka, Francke Horn, Reinhard Nothnagel, Ruben Schoeman, Carlu Sadie/Ruan Dreyer, Jaco Visagie, Sti Sithole.
Replacements:PJ Botha, JP Smith, Ruan Dreyer/Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter, Sibusiso Sangweni, Andre Warner, Manuel Ras, Tiaan Swanepoel/EW Viljoen.