Johannesburg – Lions Super Rugby coach Johan Ackermann has decided to rest his most senior players for Saturday’s warm-up game against an invitational Barbarians side at Wits University.
Not one of the union’s players who turned out for Japanese clubs in the last three months – Warren Whiteley, Jaco Kriel, Elton Jantjies, Lionel Mapoe and Franco Mostert – will feature against the side made up mainly of club players from the Leopards and Griffons.
Also there is no place in the team for Springboks Faf de Klerk, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Malcolm Marx.
“We’ve got this game and next week’s outing against the Stormers before we start our Super Rugby campaign and by then I want to have given everyone an equal chance to push for a final squad place,” said Ackermann on Thursday.
A very young and inexperienced Lions team played against the Bulls in Harare last weekend, while the franchise wrap up their preparations with a clash against the Stormers in Cape Town next Saturday.
Scrumhalf Ross Cronje will lead the side at Wits this weekend.
“It’s great having all our senior players back from Japan,” said Cronje. “Not only have they brough energy to the training sessions, but a calmness as well.”
Ackermann’s team for Saturday’s match is a good blend of youth and experience with seasoned campaigners Corne Fourie, Robbie Coetzee, Andries Ferreira, Lourens Erasmus and loose-forwards Cyle Brink, Robert Kruger and Fabian Booysen all getting a run.
Centre Harold Vorster, who missed virtually the whole of last season with an injury, will play in the midfield alongside Jacques Nel.
Some of the youngsters who’re getting chance to show what they can do include flyhalf Shaun Reynolds, wing Madosh Tambwe and loose-forwards Hacjiva Dayimani and Victor Sekekete.
The match at Wits kicks off at 3pm.
Lions squad:
Gerrie Labuschagne, Madosh Tambwe, Jacques Nel, Harold Vorster, Selom Gavor, Shaun Reynolds, Ross Cronje (capt), Fabian Booysen, Robert Kruger, Cyle Brink, Lourens Erasmus, Andries Ferreira, Johannes Jonker, Robbie Coetzee, Corne Fourie. Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Sti Sithole, Hencus van Wyk, JP du Preez, Bobby de Wee, Hacjiva Dayimani, Victor Sekekete, Dillon Smit, Eddie Fouche, Gerdus van der Walt, Jarryd Sage, Dean Gordon, Jean Luc Cilliers
SupaBaabaas squad:
Aubrey McDonald, Sheldon Williamson, Marco Alberts, Khyle Verwey, Jacques Erasmus, Pieter Botha, Bradley Moolman, Jaco Haywards, Johan Grobler, Robbie Petzer, Ashlon Davids, Siya Masuku, Stokkies du Plessis, Hendrik van der Nest, Samuel Niemand, Francois Robertse, Pieter Mathews, Ian van Deventer, Wikus van der Berg, Ethienne Oosthuizen, Theo Becker, Rudi Mathee, Zander de Kock, Jan-Francois Bester, Armand Jordaan, Johan Pieterse, Bruce Mullen, Rudi Britz