Despite initially threatening to send a weakened side to play the Kings in a friendly this afternoon, Lions coach Jon Mitchell has instead decided to pick an outfit strongly resembling his strongest available.
Lions fans will be most excited about the return to action of flyhalf Elton Jantjies, whose man-of-the-match heroics in last year’s Currie Cup final won the first silverware the union has seen in many years. Jantjies has played no part in the Lions preparations so far this year due to a broken bone in his hand, but should get a decent chance to prove his fitness against the Kings, before veteran Butch James takes over.
Former Sharks age-group scrumhalf Tian Meyer has been included on the bench, while impressive young lock forward Ruan Botha starts in the second row alongside Griquas import Hendrik Roodt.
Lions: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Doppies la Grange, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 James Kamana, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Joshua Strauss (captain), 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Substitutes: 16 Francois du Toit, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Stephan Greeff, 19 Doppies le Roux, 20 Tian Meyer, 21 Butch James, 22 Lionel Mapoe.
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How is it possible to have two players named Doppies in the same team? Seriously!
Who’s Doppies le Roux?
I hope these Lions give the Kings a big hiding and so the Kings can catch a wake up and see that they have a long way to go before super rugby level.
@Ludz (Comment 2) :
Played for the Pumas.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) : they should call Pat Cilliers doppies…
@Viking (Comment 3) :
Won’t happen they have that PR covered by having a weakened side play the Lions.
Im not bothered at the scoreline here but hope that all players get thru this injury free.
I was under the impression he had a broken bone in his hand …?
Good to see him back though … Is this Tian Meyer any good ?
We are looking very bare at Scrumhalf …concerning indeed.
@csb (Comment 7) : that’s what I said 🙂
Useful side this – excluding James Kamana ofcourse.
Let me guess. Supersport doesn`t know anything about this match?
@Ludz (Comment 2) :
Puma’s No 8, had an offer from Leicester in England but has been training with the Lions instead, along with Marius Coetzer. Very strong ballcarrier and an enforcer of note!
Ruan Botha,lad seems to exceeding expectations. Definitely like him,underrated because he’s not quite as bulky as some of his fellow locks,but his lineout pedigree is unmatched among his peers (fellow u20s)
@Ludz (Comment 12) :
Yep, he looks a real talent and about 2,04m so really tall!! I think he will give the Lions good backup to Van Der Merwe, and might get some gametime at certain times in the season.
Pat and Hendrikp,thanks how good is he,also anyone know if Corne Steenkamp is still with the Pumas?
@Ludz (Comment 14) :
Steenkamp is still with the Pumas but I think he is injured for the bulk of the season, so I dont think he will be around till at least CC time. It is a shame as I think he could do well at a bigger union as he is such a pest on the ground.
@Pat (Comment 11) : Where did you hear about Doppies being offered a contract by Leicester?
I’m always interested in transfer news.
@Ludz (Comment 12) : Agree – he will definately bulk up a bit – he is still U20 this year! I think that he and much more physical Ruan Venter have the potential to form an excellent locking partnership for the Lions in the years ahead supported by the likes of Willemse. Sebastian de Chaves (who I’m sure will play Vodacom Cup) is also in the mix.
@ChrisS (Comment 16) :
It was on Suparugby a while back, I dont think he was offered a contract, but it definitely mentioned them as interested. I wish those guys would develop some of their own players. soon there are going to be more Botha’s and Fouries etc in their lineup than ours!
@Pat (Comment 18) : Thanks Pat! I think it does our young players good to go over there but SARU must monitor them and bring them back to play locally when the need arises. Juandre Kruger is a prime example of how it should be done. He wasn’t getting game time so went overseas and picked up top-level experience instead of playing Vodacom Cup in SA.
Jacque Cronje, Brian Mujati, Shaun Sowerby, Brent Russell and Joe Van Niekerk are examples of how not to do it. They were all under-utilised by the Bok coaches even when standing out overseas.
I can understand people saying that the level of competition over there is lower but please, Kirchner over Russell for the Boks?!!
@ChrisS (Comment 19) : That was disbelief…not me wanting Kirchner in, in case anybody gets the wrong idea!!! Brent runs while Kirchner kicks and kicks badly!!!
@ChrisS (Comment 19) : I think the SA public should probably keep quiet about the NH leagues not being as strong as here because let us not forget that a Bok team not very long ago got humbled by 2 English club sides! I like what Hyneke Meyer said in that he will pick the best 22 players available to represent the Boks irrespective where they play! But actions do speak louder than words…
33 – 0 to the Lions half time
@Zibbie (Comment 22) :
Wow.. A bit of a hiding on the cards, unless the changes bring the quality down..
@Zibbie (Comment 22) : How about some more detail Zibbie?
Lions 88 – Kings 0. Eish!!!
@Pat (Comment 25) :
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Ooof. Started feeling sorry for the Kings there.
Then I thought what Luke and Cheeky Watson’s relations would be like 😈
We must have cheated, there is no way the Mighty Kings can lose. They are a guaranteed Super rugby team
Even with Lions hater Marius Jonker the Mighty Kings could not win, yes it was a B team against a mostly full strength Lions but still a team like the Crusaders will put this past the Kings 1st team against Saders B team
All this talk of this being a B squad doesn’t suprise me …
Funny they did after all WEAR the Kings kit. I guess the Bulls B team last week that beat their A team was then also not a Bulls squad.