Emirates Lions’ head coach Johan Ackermann has named an unchanged match day squad for Friday’s visit by the Southern Kings.
Ackermann has kept faith with the same 23 that so comprehensively outplayed the Cell C Sharks for 60 minutes last weekend.
Clearly the Lions’ brains trust is opting to keep the positive tempo going, and have shunned the option of resting key players in preparation for the now guaranteed home quarter final in a few weeks time.
Of course, a big win on Friday will help with the points difference which may be a factor in determining the final Overall Log standings, and hence the venues of games in the latter part of the play-offs.
Of course, the Lions still have the difficult prospect of the Jaguares away in the last game of the last weekend of conference play, but by that time they will know exactly what they will need to do in order to Top the Overall Log, and so pave the way for an easier passage to a potential final at Emirates Airline Park.
Many long time Lions’ fans are wondering if it is time to dream that the “impossible” can be achieved, and one can only now appreciate how Leicester City’s fans must have felt in the last few weeks of the English Premier League season.
Whatever the ultimate outcome for the Emirates Lions in Super Rugby 2016, they have certainly turned the perception that South African sides can only play a forward dominated game plan on it’s head, and in the process won many new admirers.
Emirates Lions:
1 Dylan Smith, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 4 Andries Ferreira, 5 Franco Mostert, 6 Jaco Kriel (Captain), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 9 Faf de Klerk, 10 Elton Jantjies, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 12 Rohan Janse Van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 15 Andries Coetzee
Replacements:
16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Jacques van Rooyen, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Ross Cronjé, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Sylvian Mahuza.
Interesting reading what the various bookmakers are offering on the Lions winning the SR this year.
Before the competition started I recall seeing odds available of between 800/1 & 1500/1.
Now they are offering between 6/1 and 15/1 depending on where you look.
Funnily enough, I saw one bookie offering odds for the Stormers of 3/1, and the Sharks between 15/1 & 50/1.
Crusaders seem to be most of the bookies favourites for the title, with the Chiefs a close second.
@ Scrumdown:
Hi Scrumdown hope you managed to get a punt on the 1500/1 odds, although still a lot of work for the Lions to do but you never know. Those odds seem ridiculously large, maybe the bookies will learn from the Leicester story and we won’t see odds like that many times in the future.
Ha very weird only read the detail of the article now and see it mentions Leicester City, ek moet ‘n siener wees
It seems very early in the week to announce the team, must be very confident. The Lions must be looking to pick up a bonus point win without any injuries this weekend, so probably go out and try and get into bonus point territory as soon as possible and then take as many of the big players off both to decrease the chance of injury but also to give them as much rest as possible ahead of the trip to Argentina and the following knockout stage.
Kings side for Friday:
15 Malcolm Jaer, 14 Lukhanyo Am, 13 Stefan Watermeyer, 12 Shane Gates (vice-captain), 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Louis Fouche, 9 James Hall, 8 Aidon Davis, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 JC Astle, 4 Schalk Oelofse, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Edgar Marutlulle (captain), 1 Sti Sithole.
Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Jacques Engelbrecht, 21 Ntando Kebe, 22 Dewald Human, 23 Jeremy Ward
Officials:
Referee: Jaco Van Heerden
ARs: Jaco Peyper and Ben Crouse
TMO: Johann Greeff
2 @ Bullscot:
Seriously considered it at the time, but I am not really a gambling man.
You will battle to get better than 15/1 now.
3 @ Bullscot:
And to think that the biggest bet placed on the Foxes was GBP 75, at 5000/1 !!!!!!!!!!
@ Scrumdown:
@ Bullscot:
Ooops,
Leicester, the Lions, and maybe Wales in the European Soccer.
I do love the Underdog. (Iceland……………..who could not love those sons of vikings………………….the clapping thing was just magic.)
But the Lions……………………….this about the Lions right!……………………………they have been playing very attractive Rugby for about 4 yrs now so things are really coming together for them. And deservedly so.
Sorry that the Cheaters have not progress in the same way, as they too have tried to play positive, constructive and attractive rugby for a number of years also.
If my Hurricanes cannot win this thing!
Then my loyalty goes to any other NZ Team.
After that ……………………………….it’s the Lions.
In the Old Voldemort Days (Keo) the Lions Posters were my favourites.
After years and years of disappointment they still fronted up and showed their metal.
Cab, Grrrrrrrr I’m a Lion, Red Lion, Katman, Fraser………………………….and others…………………………….gentlemen one and all………………….they were humourous, knowlegeable and amiable………………………….ROARERS.
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