Xerox Golden Lions head coach Johan Ackermann and his team have made wholesale changes to the starting line up that defeated the Boland Cavaliers last weekend and he has totally changed the replacement players on the bench.
Some of the changes are forced through injury, with others part of the rotation policy.
2 Significant changes are the inclusion of Olympian “Kwagga” Smith, who returns to the 15-man game after his stint with the National 7’s side, as well as powerful centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg who makes his 1st Currie Cup start for the Golden Lions.
It has also been announced that the dynamic openside flank, Smith will only play in 4 World Rugby Sevens Series events in the upcoming series, which will certainly be a bonus for the New Doornfontein based side in the next few months.
The full media release from the Xerox Golden Lions reads:
Dear all
The Xerox Golden Lions welcomes back in the fold their Blitzbok Kwagga Smith while Rohan Janse van Rensburg also gets his first start in this years’ Currie Cup, when they take on the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Friday at 19:00 SA Time.
Smith returns from Olympic Sevens action while Janse van Rensburg recovered from some niggling Super Rugby injuries.
Also back as part of the rotation of the team is Jacques van Rooyen, Lourens Erasmus and Courtnall Skosan.
Andries Ferreira and Sylvan Mahuza could not pass their fitness tests and will not take part in proceedings this weekend.
The starting line-up shows 11 changes to the one that beat Boland at Emirates Airline Park last weekend, while the whole bench is changed.
Xerox Golden Lions vs Vodacom Blue Bulls:
Team: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronjé (Captain), 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Albertus “Kwagga” Smith, 5 Lourens Erasmus, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Dylan Smith
Replacements: 16 Armand “Akker” van der Merwe, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Victor Sekekete, 19 Fabian Booysen, 20 Dillon Smit, 21 Jaco van der Walt, 22 Jacques Nel.
This looks like a strong side.
The Lions really need to develop Lourens Erasmus into a good replacement for Franco Mostert who goes to France after the Currie Cup.
It will nice to see van Rensburg back in action, and also the different type of dimension that Kwagga Smith brings to the game.
I can’t help feeling the Lions should win quite easily, but in a Trans-Jukskei derby nothing can be taken fro granted.
Halftime Blue Bulls 16/10 Lions. GO BULLS!
60 minutes Blue Bulls 21/17 Lions seems a close game
67 minutes Blue Bulls 24/17 Lions
YES!!! Blue Bulls win 31/17
60 minutes Gloucester 31/24 Leicester Tigers
Strong come back by Leicester score was 31/7 at one point
JP Pietersen making his Premiership debut for Leicester tonight
JP gets the bounce of a bsll making a catch after a chip over the top and passes to his team mate for an easy score. Try converted 31 all.
Attcking lineout Leicester
Try Leicester
Try converted final score Gloucester 31/38 Leicester Tigers! Try bonus points for both teams.
Tigers scrumhalf Sam Harrison is man of match scoring two tries
Newcastle 19/10 Sale Sharks game still on
Gloucester will be angry with the defeat after looking so dominant in the first half
Pro12 result Ulster 29/8 Newport Gwent Dragons.
Leinster 20/8 Treviso
Ospreys 59/5 Zebre
JP Pietersen being interviewed
I see SA have thrown their hat into the ring to host the 2023 RWC.
Good luck with that, but I think 2027 could be a better bet.
It would a disgrace the World Cup has been held 3 times in Europe dice it was last held here.
Skosan out for the rest of the season with a groin injury!
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