Lions march to Bloemfontein

The Lions will be marching to Bloemfontein with their full-strength team which includes six debutants to take on their rivals, the Cheetahs, in the first 2014 Super Rugby match of the season.

“If we can stick together for a season or two we will become a formidable group of players,” said head coach of the Lions Johan Ackermann at the Press Conference on Thursday February 13.

Cheetahs coach Naka Drostkie said that they are an unknown entity and that his team is weary of the Lions.

“I think that we are a little bit unknown in the Super Rugby context, but we have to focus on our routine and what we want to do. It will take a game or two for the players to get used to the Super Rugby. But we have put them in pressure situations this week so that they know how to handle it.”

“We are looking for consistency,” said Lions captain Warren Whiteley. “Of course there is a lot of excitement among the players. We are also a team with a lot of potential and we are looking forward to the campaign.”

Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has named his 23-man side to face the Cheetahs for the opening game of the 2014 Vodacom Super Rugby competition.

The match promises to be an exciting encounter with the Lions side looking forward to their first Vodacom Super Rugby game, following readmission to the competition.

The starting Lions XV includes six Super Rugby debutants, namely Chrysander Botha, Marnitz Boshoff, Franco Mostert, Julian Redelinghuys, Robbie Coetzee and Schalk van der Merwe.

The kick-off is at 17:00.

The team is:

15. Chrysander Botha

14. Deon van Rensburg

13. Lionel Mapoe

12. Stefan Watermeyer

11. Ruan Combrinck

10. Marnitz Boshoff

9. Michael Bondesio

8. Warren Whiteley

7. Derick Minnie

6. Jaco Kriel

5. Franco van der Merwe

4. Franco Mostert

3. Julian Redelinghuys

2. Robbie Coetzee

1. Schalk van der Merwe

16. Willie Wepener

17. Jacques van Rooyen

18. Ruan Dreyer

19. Willie Britz

20. Warwick Tecklenburg

21. Faf de Klerk

22. Coenie van Wyk

23. Alwyn Hollenbach