Team to face Jaguares

2019-03-09

The Lions Rugby Company is excited about the wealth of talented junior players that have come through their ranks and knocked on the door of Vodacom Super Rugby.

Coach Swys de Bruin will be giving some of them an opportunity in the game against the Jaguares at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday (kick-off is at 15:05). Players like Wandisile Simelane, a product of Lions Rugby since his Under 13 years and SA Rugby Junior Springbok Player of the Year in 2018 and who is playing out of Soweto, Ruan Vermaak, a former Monument Hoërskool pupil, Vincent Tshituka (Northcliff High School) are all getting an opportunity to play.

The changes are: Simelane will partner with Franco Naude in midfield, Sylvian Mahuza comes in at wing, Ross Cronje at scrumhalf, Kwagga Smith moves to number eight with Vincent Tshituka slotting in at seven, while Vermaak will form the lock combination with Rhyno Herbst. New faces on the bench include Nathan McBeth, a former Monnas pupil, James Venter and Tyrone Green (Jeppe High School).

The full squad for the Emirates Lions vs Jaguares game is: Andries Coetzee; Sylvian Mahuza, Wandisile Simelane, Franco Naude, Courtnall Skosan; Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje; Kwagga Smith, Vincent Tshituka, Marnus Schoeman, Rhyno Herbst, Ruan Vermaak, Carlu Sadie, Malcom Marx, Dylan Smith. Reserves: Pieter Jansen, Nathan McBeth, Frans van Wyk, Stephan Lewies, James Venter, Dillon Smit, Harold Vorster, Gianni Lombard/Tyrone Green.

Annemie Bester