BAD weather en route to Dunedin on Thursday morning (SA time) has necessitated the aircraft carrying the Emirates Lions to turn around and the Johannesburg based side is currently in Christchurch awaiting instructions from Sanzar regarding their match against the Highlanders on Saturday, March 12.
In the meantime the Emirates Lions have arrived in Dunedin to play the Highlanders.
The match is scheduled to start at 08:35 SA time and Sanzar is doing everything they can to get the side to their destination as soon as possible.
Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Jaco van der Walt will get their first start in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby tournament against the defending champions, the Highlanders.
It will be a new centre pairing of Howard Mnisi and janse van Rensburg in midfield replacing Lionel Mapoe, who became a father on Wednesday, and Harold Vorster, who returned home after injuring his left knee again.
In the only other change to the backline, van der Walt replaces Andries Coetzee in a rotational move at fullback.
In the front row Jacques van Rooyen gets his first start with Robbie Coetzee back in the number two jersey. Ruan Dreyer starts in a rotational move which sees Julian Redelinghuys move to the bench.
New recruit Jacques Nel, who joined the side earlier in the week, will warm the bench while Dillon Smit also earns a spot among the reserves for the first time this season.
The Emirates Lions will don a new pair of shorts this weekend sporting the latest sponsor, C-track, at the back. The sponsor has come on board during the week and the Lions will boast their logo.
Emirates Lions team:
1 Loosehead prop Jacques van Rooyen
2 Hooker Robbie Coetzee
3 Tighthead prop Ruan Dreyer
4 Left lock Andries Ferreira
5 Right lock Franco Mostert
6 Left flanker Jaco Kriel
7 Right flanker Warwick Tecklenberg
8 Number eight Warren Whiteley
9 Scrumhalf Faf de Klerk
10 Flyhalf Elton Jantjies
11 Left wing Courtnal Skosan
12 Inside centre Howard Mnisi
13 Outside centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg
14 Right wing Ruan Combrinck
15 Fullback Jaco van der Walt
16. Reserve Armand van der Merwe
17. Reserve Corne Fourie
18. Reserve Julian Redelinghuys
19. Reserve Robert Kruger
20. Reserve Ruan Ackermann
21. Reserve Dillon Smit
22. Reserve Jacques Nel
23. Reserve Andries Coetzee
