Lions hooker PJ Botha will play in his 100th match for the franchise on Saturday when they take on Connacht at Ellis Park in a crucial URC match.
Image: BackpagePix
The Lions have made two tweaks – including a positional shift – but largely kept faith with a settled side as they prepare to host Connacht in Johannesburg on Saturday (4pm kick-off).
After dismantling the Glasgow Warriors 54-12 last weekend, the Johannesburg outfit will be chasing more of the same as they push for another bonus-point victory to cement their place in the Top 4 of the United Rugby Championship (URC).
They are aiming to make it six consecutive wins at Ellis Park, building as much momentum and security as possible before heading into their final two round-robin fixtures away from home. However, Connacht arrive in a confident mood after a shock victory over the Stormers, bringing their own bit of momentum into what promises to be a highly charged clash.
Head coach Ivan van Rooyen has introduced burly loose forward Batho Hlekani into the starting line-up. He takes over in the No 7 jersey, with Springbok Ruan Venter shifting to lock in place of the injured Etienne Oosthuizen. Hlekani will join eighthman and captain Francke Horn, along with opensider Siba Mahase, in forming a loose trio that combines power with explosiveness.
Up front, Bok tighthead Asenathi Ntlabakanye starts despite earlier uncertainty surrounding his availability due to a potential doping suspension. He will anchor the Lions scrum alongside centurion hooker PJ Botha and the mobile SJ Kotze against a formidable Connacht front row.
At the back, continuity is the order of the day, with Van Rooyen sticking to the attacking formula that tore the Warriors’ defence apart. Flyhalf Chris Smith is set to steer proceedings with both boot and ball, while the sharp service of Morné van den Berg will be tested against an Irish side renowned for their breakdown pressure.
Their responsibility will be to generate front-foot ball for the midfield and outside backs, laying the platform for a repeat of last weekend’s try-scoring display.
Scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys described the Glasgow performance as one of their best, but stressed the need for a similar effort over the full 80 minutes to overcome Connacht.
“There were spectacular tries against Glasgow, but what I did like was our fight,” Redelinghuys said.
“We were far ahead by the end of the game; they (Glasgow) had two opportunities in our 22m area, and the guys defended like we were still trying to win the game. They made line breaks, but we were fighting for each other with the tackling.
“Connacht and Glasgow have a couple of similarities, but they are also very different. Connacht coach Stuart Lancaster has come in and simplified things, but they are more physical when they do it. It seems like they have a really good game model in the sense that they know how they want to play and they are proud of how they play. That is why they have been able to beat some proper teams.”
Connacht, meanwhile, made 10 changes to the side that beat the Stormers. They brought in more senior player, so the Lions must brace for a sterner test than might have been expected. Should Connacht push them, it could provide exactly the kind of game needed ahead of the final two overseas fixtures against Leinster and Munster.
Lions XV
15 Quan Horn, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Erich Cronjé, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Siba Mahashe, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Morné Brandon, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Sebastian Lombard, 19 Reinhard Nothnagel, 20 Siba Qoma, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Nico Steyn, 23 Kelly Mpeku.
Connacht XV
15 Sam Gilbert, 14 Harry West, 13 John Devine, 12 Hugh Gavin, 11 Shane Jennings, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Colm Reilly, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 SHamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Cian Prendergast (captain), 5 Joe Joyce, 4 Niall Murray, 3 Jack Aungier, 2 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 1 Peter Dooley.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Victory, 17 Billy Bohan, 18 Fiachna Barrett, 19 Darragh Murray, 20 Sean Jansen, 21 Matthew Devine, 22 Sean Naughton, 23 Shayne Bolton.