Cash van Rooyen said the Lions would arrive in Cape Town with a few different elements to their game. Picture: Getty Images
Lions coach Cash van Rooyen has a plan or two up his sleeve, he said ahead of his team’s match against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.
Van Rooyen has opted for consistency in his team, making just one change to his starting lineup for their Super Rugby Unlocked clash.
Like last week’s clash against the Sharks in Durban, Van Rooyen again named 25 players instead of the normal 23, with two players set to be cut from the lineup prior to kickoff.
“We were quite strong in the second half in Durban and picked up momentum and that’s why we went with the same 25,” said Van Rooyen.
Following the Lions’ battles at scrum-time when they faced the Stormers three weeks ago at Loftus during Super Fan Saturday, Van Rooyen believed this weekend could be a different ball-game.
“The Stormers have a great pack and there are a lot of World Cup winners in there, so we know they will want to go to the set-piece,” said Van Rooyen. “I’m sure they have a plan or two, but so do we,” he said.
Van Rooyen hinted the Lions might have a new trick or two up their sleeve.
“We didn’t go into the friendly match (just over two weeks ago) with a lot of plans as we wanted to see where we were, so there is a bit of chess (being played) going into this game and we’ll definitely have a different plan,” he said.
Last week the two extra players in the lineup, who didn’t feature, proved to be prop Ruan Dreyer and centre Wandisile Simelane. If the Lions follow the same plan this week they’ll again have only two backs on the bench, in the returning scrumhalf Ross Cronje and fullback Gianni Lombard.
Cronjé comes in to replace the injured Dillon Smit, which has resulted in young Krappie van den Berg being elevated to the starting lineup, and he will come up against star Bok halfback Herschel Jantjies.
Kick-off is at 7pm on Saturday.
Lions: EW Viljoen, Jamba Ulengo, Burger Odendaal, Dan Kriel, Rabz Maxwane, Elton Jantjies (capt), Morné van den Berg, Len Massyn, Vincent Tshituka, Jaco Kriel, Marvin Orie, Willem Alberts, Carlu Sadie, Jaco Visagie, Sti Sithole. Bench: Jan-Henning Campher, Dylan Smith, Wiehahn Herbst, Wilhelm van der Sluys, MJ Pelser, Hacjivah Dayimani, Ross Cronjé, Gianni Lombard, Wandisile Simelane, Ruan Dreyer.
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