Lions v Lions: Who will Van Rooyen turn to for tour opener?

Joburg’s Lions rugby team have had a tough time of it of late, but they’ll get a chance to register a special win should they come out on top when they host the British and Irish Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Ivan van Rooyen’s Lions haven’t been a factor in any of the most recently staged local competitions in the last year, but they have the honour of being the touring Lions’ first opponents of their eight-match tour to South Africa this coming weekend.

Van Rooyen’s team were last in action last Wednesday (in a Currie Cup game), so by the time the teams take the field on Saturday the local Lions would have had plenty of time to prepare for the prestigious match.

And hopefully that Van Rooyen’s team will put up a good show against the tourists, who beat Japan in Edinburgh on Saturday before flying out on Sunday night.

The big question about the local Lions is who will get the honour of facing the touring Lions, who’ll now be lead by Conor Murray following the tour-ending injury suffered by Alun Wyn Jones on Saturday?

ALSO READ: Lions tour blow as Springbok players test positive for Covid

Will Van Rooyen stick with the players he’s backed in the Currie Cup in recent weeks or will be turn to some of the players who’ve had to sit out because of injury and Covid issues?

Some of the first-choice players he’s likely to call up include Jannie du Plessis, Sti Sithole, Jaco Kriel, Burger Odendaal, Courtnal Skosan and Stean Pienaar – none of whom were in action last Wednesday.

It will also be interesting to see who British and Irish Lions boss Warren Gatland picks for the match. He may well opt for the players who didn’t start against Japan, just to give himself a chance to see all his tourists in action early on.

ALSO READ:  Sharks bolster team with addition of coaching heavyweights

With the local Lions in action on Saturday (kick-off 6pm), there will be no Currie Cup matches on the same day.

However, there are still three matches taking place this week.

On Wednesday the Cheetahs get a chance to make up for their poor showing against Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday (they lost 10-31) when they host the Bulls in Bloemfontein.

Jake White’s men though should still be the favourites, but the Cheetahs should be better with a match behind them and the fact they’re at home.

Also on Wednesday, Western Province host the Sharks, with the former coming off a loss to the Lions last week and the latter having enjoyed a bye this last weekend.

In the final match of the week, the Pumas entertain Griquas in Mbombela on Friday afternoon.

Weekend results

Bulls 32, Pumas 27

Griquas 31, Cheetahs 10

This week’s fixtures

Wednesday: Cheetahs v Bulls (4.45pm), WP v Sharks (7pm)

Friday: Pumas v Griquas (4pm)