The URC breaks for the subsequent two weekends, with the Lions additionally up against Newcastle at house subsequent Saturday.
Lions boss Ivan van Rooyen has picked a totally new-look squad for the team’s first match of this yr’s European Challenge Cup competitors against French aspect Perpignan this coming Sunday.
Not one of many beginning gamers who featured in final weekend’s United Rugby Championship win against the Dragons, or within the victory against Zebre the week earlier than, are within the squad that leaves Joburg on Wednesday.
Fans of the Lions is not going to be too conversant in quite a lot of the names within the tour social gathering, amongst them backs Johan Mulder, Nico Steyn and forwards Izan Esterhuizen, Heiko Pohlmann, and Conrad van Vuuren.
Experience
There are, nonetheless, additionally a handful of gamers who’ve featured fairly repeatedly for the URC aspect within the final two years, amongst them Jordan Hendrikse, Gianni Lombard, Rabz Maxwane, Stean Pienaar, Morgan Naude, Sibusiso Sangweni and Jaco Visagie.
Former Springbok fullback Andries Coetzee can also be within the squad in addition to former Blitzboks star JC Pretorius, who continues to be attempting to completely adapt to XV-man rugby.
In complete, 26 gamers will journey to France.
‘Confidence in using squad’
“Rotation was at all times a part of the plan for this journey to France,’ stated Van Rooyen.
“We have a possibility to faucet into our full squad over the subsequent two weeks of Challenge Cup motion.
“To get the performance we want and to potentially win both games we will rely on the players at our disposal as we have huge confidence in using the broader squad. We’ve prepared and trained accordingly for the last two to three weeks so we’ll be ready to go.”
Following Sunday’s match against Perpignan, the Lions will face the Newcastle Falcons from England at Ellis Park subsequent Saturday.
In January the Lions additionally face Montpellier away and Ospreys at house within the Challenge Cup.
Lions squad:
Backs: Andries Coetzee, Erich Cronje, Zander du Plessis, Boldwin Hansen, Jordan Hendrikse, Rynhardt Jonker, Gianni Lombard, Rabz Maxwane, Johan Mulder, Stean Pienaar, Nico Steyn
Forwards: Morne Brandon, Izan Esterhuizen, Corne Fourie, Travis Gordon, Morgan Naude, Etienne Oosthuizen, Heiko Pohlmann, JC Pretorius, Raynard Roets, Sibusiso Sangweni, Hanru Sirgel, Ruan Smith, Ruhan Straeuli, Conrad van Vuuren, Jaco Visagie
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