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Stormers broken

May 21, 2013 in Uncategorized

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The way things are going at the Stormers they might as well draft the whole Lions team to finish out the season for them. This will give the Lions players invaluable match practice before their Wooden Spoon Knockouts against the Kings/Stormers at the end of the season.

The Stormers drafted the Pumas utility forward, Marius Coetzer, who played Super Rugby for the Lions in 2012, as cover at lock and flank.

After returning from their tour downunder the Stormers announced a number of new injuries to add to their woes.

The full DHL Stormers injury update is as follows:

New injuries (from the Rebels match):

- Hooker/flank Deon Fourie (fractured ribs – two-three weeks)
- Hooker Scarra Ntubeni (hamstring tear, grade two – two-three weeks)
- Prop Pat Cilliers (ankle, grade two ligament tear – minimum six weeks)
- Prop Frans Malherbe (ankle, syndesmosis tear – will be operated on tomorrow, not less than ten weeks – could be out long-term)
- Lock Andries Bekker (back, grade one disc tear – six-eight weeks)
- Centre Juan de Jongh (fracture in his ring finger – high up in the joint – minimum three weeks)

Back from injury this week:

- Hooker Tiaan Liebenberg (elbow)

Already out/long-term injuries:

- Lock De Kock Steenkamp (chest – needs another week or two)
- Lock Ruan Botha (ankle – fit for the Currie Cup)
- Flank Michael Rhodes (ankle, syndesmosis – should be back by the last week or two of league action)
- Flank Rynhardt Elstadt (knee – should be back by the last week or two of league action)
- No.8 Duane Vermeulen (knee – should be back by the last week or two of league action)
- Flyhalf Peter Grant (ankle, syndesmosis – definitely not back before the June Test break)
- Fullback Jaco Taute (knee – out for the rest of the season)

Long-term injuries – players that have not played yet in 2013:
- Prop Deon Carstens (retirement – neck)
- Flank Schalk Burger (calf, illness)

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Lions Snippets

April 27, 2013 in Uncategorized

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Some Lions news and snippets from this weekend:

Lions lock Franco Mostert was seriously injured in a car accident over the weekend and will be out of rugby for at least eight months. Get well soon Franco.

Andries Coetzee posted on his Facebook page that he tore some ligaments in his shoulder and will be out of rugby for 4 to 6 months. This is a big blow for the Lions in the run up to the Wooden Spoon Knockouts.

Anthony Volmink set a new South African record when he scored 9 tries in the Golden Lions’ 161-3 win over the Limpopo Blue Bulls, the winning margin of 158 points breaking the Pumas record of a few weeks ago but the score of 161 falling just three points short of another SA record that was in the Lions grasp missed due to 7 failed conversions.

The record win over the Limpopo Blue Bulls ensured that the Lions moved into the fourth position of the North Section log and into the Vodacom Cup quarter finals ahead of the Leopards. Pre-match confusion as to whether they only needed a bonus point win or make up the 124 points difference was rendered moot with the emphatic win.

It seems the Leopards were also confused about what was required as they had ex-Lion Andre Pretorius at the match to SMS them updates but the Lions got their fourth try in the 13th minute, putting paid to the Leopards hopes.

The Sharks’ Lions loaner, Derick Minnie, had a great debut match scoring two of the Sharks four tries.

Ex-Lion Joe Snyman was voted the Welsh club Scarlets’ Worthington’s Fans player of the year. Congratulation Joe.

The GLRU has announced that their new web site and media hub will be launched in May. One can only hope that it will be kept up to date.

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Lions in exile

April 25, 2013 in Uncategorized

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A brief look at the Lions in exile

On loan:

Jaco Taute (Stormers): Had a shaky start in his first match against the Bulls, took a knock in the nuts that sidelined him for a number of games, returned for two bench appearances before a knee injury sidelines him for the rest of the year. Long term injury

Lionel Mapoe (Bulls): A regular starter for the Bulls at wing but an up and down season in terms of performance. Very active and gets involved but his defence remains a concern. Had a good game against the Kings.

Elton Jantjies (Stormers): Another one with a shaky start to his Stormers sabatical. Relieved of kicking duties after an Oh from Four display against the Bulls, he had two good games against the Chiefs and the Brumbies when entrusted with the responsibility to manage the game but otherwise seems uncertain as to his role in the team and the gameplan that changes every week. Injury has sidelined him for a few weeks.

Franco van der Merwe (Sharks): He’s a grafter rather than one who would put them on the front foot but a solid performer for the Sharks in the lineouts and mauls.

Callie Visagie (Bulls): Being the third choice hooker for the Bulls he has spent most of his time in the Vodacom Cup team with only a few bench appearances in Super Rugby but scored a try in his first match.

Martin Bezuidenhout (Stormers): Used as cover for the Stormers hookers he has mostly played off the bench and will probably see less game time now that Scarra Ntubeni is back.

Derick Minnie (Sharks): Called up to provide the Sharks with a specialist fetcher and is included in the starting XV for the match against the Chiefs. His penchant for gving away penalties won’t endear him to the suffering Sharks.

JC Janse van Rensburg (Sharks): Will join up with the Sharks downunder and will probably be in the match 22 from week 2 on tour.

Andries Coetzee (Sharks): Had an active but disastrous debut for the Sharks. Had a good game in general but a heavy fall going for a high ball left him with a dislocated shoulder and out of action for a few months. Long term injury

Transferred:

Pat Cilliers (Stormers): Hasn’t really made an impact at the Stormers and has mainly been played off the bench as a utility prop.

Michael Rhodes (Stormers): Was out with injury for the most of the season so far but made an impact since he started.

Ruan Botha (Stormers): Has been out with injury so far.

Paul Willemse (Bulls): Established himself on the bench for the Bulls until an injury put him out of action.

Etienne Oosthuizen (Brumbies): Not part of the regular Brumbies squad but played in a few games.

Grant Hattingh (Bulls): Established himself as a regular starter playing mainly at lock until injury sidelined him.

Rudy Paige (Bulls): Had a few games off the bench but playing mainly in the Vodacom Cup side.

Caylib Oosthuizen (Cheetahs): Had a few games off the bench but playing mainly in the Vodacom Cup side.

Bandise Maku (Kings): Swops the starting spot with another ex-Lion, Hannes Franklin.

Waylon Murray (Kings): Took over the starting #13 spot after returning from injury.

Michael Killian (Kings): Will be playing his first match against the Cheetahs after returning from injury.

Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors): Has established himself as a regular with the Warriors.

Jacobie Adriaanse (Scarlets): Has established himself as a regular with the Scarlets

Doppies la Grange (Treviso): Has established himself as a regular with Teviso

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Lions: “The reports of our death are greatly exaggerated”

April 15, 2013 in Uncategorized

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The media is full of hype about the Kings and their performances sowing the seeds of doubt in the minds of many people, including some Lions supporters, that the Lions will not be able to beat the Kings in the Wooden Spoon Knockouts.

I must be honest and admit that I was having some doubts myself. The Lions lost a number of players through transfers and retirements but they have some players out on loan to other franchises. The Lions have been playing against much lower level opposition over the last few months and then there is the issue of integrating their loan players back into the team before the knockouts.

One tends to forget, or ignore, the fact that the Lions preparation programme gets a lot more intense against better quality opposition in June and July in the run-up to the knockout matches when they play Samoa, the French Barbarians, Grenoble and Heineken Cup quarter finalists Montpellier as well as the Sharks and the Stormers, sans Springboks of course.

I then looked at the team the Lions can put together, barring injuries, and feel a lot more positive about the prospect of facing the Kings at the end of July. I looked at the players irrespective of current injuries, apart from Jaco Taute who we know will be out, as I don’t know when the injured players will be match fit again.

Lions players still available:

The Lions still have 11 players available from the match 22 that won the Currie Cup in 2011 and 12 players from the match 22 that played in their last Super Rugby match in 2012.

16 of the players in the match 22 for the 2012 Currie Cup semi final are still available.

In all 22 players who played Super Rugby or in the Currie Cup final or semi final are still available to play in the Knockouts, although the rumours are strong that JC Janse van Rensburg will be off to France soon especially now that he has once again been snubbed by Heyneke Meyer but until there’s something definite I’ll keep him in my squad.

Andries Coetzee, Anthony Volmink, Deon Helberg, JR Esterhuizen, Lionel Mapoe, Ruan Combrinck, Jaco Taute (injured), Dylan Des Fountain, Deon van Rensburg, Alwyn Hollenbach, Michael Bondesio, Ross Cronje, Warren Whiteley, Jaco Kriel, Derick Minnie, Franco van der Merwe, Hendrik Roodt, Callie Visagie, Martin Bezuidenhout, JC Janse van Rensburg, CJ van der Linde, Ruan Dreyer

Potential Golden Lions team for the knock outs:
(bold = players who have played some matches for the Lions in 2011 or 2012)

A potential match 22 for the knockouts contains only 7 players who didn’t play for the Lions in 2011 or 2012.

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Stokkies Hanekom, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Jaco Kriel, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).

Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Franco Mostert, 19 Willie Britz, 20 Guy Cronje, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Deon Helberg.

Additional players, including injured:

Jaco Taute – Fullback/Centre (injured)
Ruhan Nel – Fullback/Wing
Ruan Combrinck – Wing
JR Esterhuizen – Wing
Dylan des Fountain – Wing/Centre
Deon van Rensburg – Wing/Centre
Ross Cronje – Scrumhalf
Warwick Tecklenburg – Loose forward
JJ Breet – Lock
CJ van der Linde – Prop
Julian Redelinghuys – Prop
Francois du Toit – Hooker
Robbie Coetzee – Hooker

Can the Lions win the knockouts against the Kings?

Yes, but it will be a tough clash of two different styles of rugby. The Kings have focused on defence in Super Rugby, looking for try scoring opportunities from the breakdowns and on counter attack while the Lions will be playing an open attacking game, looking for quick ball and running in tries.

The Kings’ strength is that, through their defence, they can soak up pressure and hit back when their opponents relax and that has been one of the Lions’ weaknesses in the past – they tend to play for 60 minutes per match – and one which the Lions will not be able to afford in the knockouts.

All credit to the Kings for their wins against the Force and the Rebels and their draw against the Brumbies but the fact is, the Kings’ wins came against the two worst teams currently in Super Rugby and they were still outplayed for large parts of the games with their perseverence and defence helping them pull off these wins. While the Kings have exceeded most people’s expectations they are by no means a good Super Rugby side but they have shown that they can hit back if you slack off.

For the Lions to win they will have to be more balanced in their approach, prevent turnovers and breakaway tries and they will have to play for 80 minutes as the Kings have shown they are very fit and will plug away for the whole match. If the Lions defence is not on song they will give the Kings the opportunities they look for.

That said, the Lions have the players to pull off the wins in the two knockout games and I believe they will have the focus and motivation as well. If the Lions lose out in the knockouts they stand to lose many of the players whose contracts expire in 2013 and with that any hope of getting back into Super Rugby until SANZAR allows a sixth SA franchise, by which time they will start back where they were in 2010.

Unfortunately, by forcing knockout matches into a competition that wasn’t designed for it, SARU has allowed this to become a win-lose situation rather than a win-win. With so much staked on the games for both sides the clashes are going to be brutal do or die afairs with the only priority being to win. Entertaining? Only maybe.

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Two more Lions out on loan

April 9, 2013 in Uncategorized

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Two Lions players, fullback Andries Coetzee and flank Jaco Kriel, have joined the Sharks squad in Durban and will be undergoing tests this week with the view of being signed on loan agreements.

With Louis Ludick and Jacques Botes amongst the Sharks latest casualties they are running low on Super Rugby experienced backup and the two Lions players can be seen as “custom fits” for those positions.

Andries Coetzee made an exciting start to Super Rugby when he had to fill in on flyhalf against the Sharks when Elton Jantjies got injured and he subsequently cemented himself into the fullback spot, so much so that Jaco Taute was moved to centre when he returned from injury. He is an attacking fullback and should be a good replacement for Louis Ludick.

Jaco Kriel could provide the Sharks with the specialist open side flank they need although he is equally comfortable on the blind side. Injuries have depleted the Sharks experienced loose forward stocks to the point that they only have Keegan Daniel, Marcell Coetzee and Ryan Kankowski available.

Both players will be undergoing “trials” this week before a final decision is made and they will have to earn their spots but initially they will be with the Sharks to provide backup.

With the Lions tour to the USA cancelled and the serious leg of the Preparation Programme only starting in June we may see more Lions players being made available on loan to franchises that need backups.

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The Lions Challenge’s French Connection

March 13, 2013 in Uncategorized

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The Lions will resume their Wooden Spoon Play-Off Preparation Programme this weekend after a month’s break when they take on the first of the four French Top 14 clubs they have lined up.

French club Stade Montois, aka Mont de Marsan, is a long way from their heyday in the ’50s and early ’60s when they were French champions four times and have struggled to settle into the French top league this season winning only two matches. Propping up the log table they are set to be relegated after only one season in the Top 14.

Like most bottom of the log teams they struggle with consistency and while they have had some substantial losses they can also push top sides close e.g. wins against Racing Metro (#5) and Grenoble (#8), a 12-16 loss to Toulouse (#3) and a 28-30 loss to Stade Francais (#9).

In the Amlin Challenge Cup, the European competition below the Heineken Cup, Stade Montois didn’t do much better and although they didn’t finish last in their pool they only won two matches as well, both against Bordeaux-Begles (#12 in the Top 14).

Typically of the Northern Hemisphere clubs Stade Montois is a professional team that features a number of players from other parts of the world including a number of South Africans, Pieter Grobler (hooker), Sebastian de Chaves (lock), Vickus Liebenberg (lock), Berend Botha (utility forward) and Lodie Britz (loose forward), as well as players from Argentina and the Pacific Islands.

Looking at some of their game highlights it would seem as if they have a strong scrum but struggle against rolling mauls and, as with any struggling side, their defence at the back becomes brittle as the game continues.

While there is no way to objectively compare the quality of Stade Montois I cannot see the bottom French side troubling the Lions too much but they should not be taken lightly because, on the day, they can cause an upset.

More French teams will play the Lions at Ellis Park later in the programme.

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Stokkies Hanekom, 12 JP du Plessis, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Derick Minnie, 7 JJ Breet, 6 Warwick Tecklenburg, 5 Franco Mostert , 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg(c).
Replacements: 16 Francois du Toit, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Gavin Annandale, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Guy Cronje, 21 Lionel Cronje, 22 Alwyn Hollenbach, 23. Ruhan Nel, 24. Deon Helberg, 25. Julian Redelinghuys
Stade Montois: 15 Yoan Durquet, 14 Jean-Marc Mazzonetto, 13 Baptiste Chedal, 12 Daniele Baleinadogo, 11 Zimum Lucu, 10 Benat Arrayet, 9 Arnaud Pic, 8 Alexandre Ricaud, 7 Lodie Britz, 6 Julien Tastet, 5 Bêrend Botha, 4 Scott Murray, 3 Sebastien Ormaechea, 2 Piet Grobler, 1 Alexandre Menini.
Replacements: 16 Julien Janaudy, 17 Pierre Correia, 18 Vickus Liebenberg, 19 Yann Brethous, 20 Julien Cabannes, 21 Thibault Duvallet, 22 Martin Jagr, 23 Mathieu Giudicelli, 24 Vasssili Bost, 25 Jean-Baptiste Dubie.
The French Connection:

March 16: v Mont de Marsan (#14)
May 11: v Agen (#13)
June 8: v French Barbarians
July 12: v Montpellier (#7)
July 20: v Grenoble (#8)

The Lions Challenge Programme:

March 16: Lions v Mont de Marsan – Ellis Park
April 13: US Invitational (All Stars) v Lions – Ervine, California
April 20: US Invitational (All Stars) v Lions – Vancouver, Canada
(Visit the Rugby Showdown web site for more info about the USA tour)
May 11: Lions v Agen – Ellis Park
June 1: Lions v Samoa – Ellis Park
June 8: Lions v French Barbarians – Ellis Park
June 15: Lions v Stormers – Ellis Park
June 21: Lions v Sharks – Ellis Park
July 12: Lions v Montpellier – Ellis Park
July 20: Lions v Grenoble – Ellis Park
July 27: Super Rugby promotion/relegation first leg -  TBA
August 3: Super Rugby promotion/relegation – Ellis Park

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Malcolm Marx – One to watch

February 19, 2013 in Uncategorized

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18 Year old Malcolm Marx, KES old boy and 2012 SA Schools hooker, started his senior rugby career with a bang scoring three tries in two starts for FNB UJ in their Varsity Cup campaign.

After receiving permission from SARU to play senior rugby he played off the bench in his first match and took over the starting #2 spot for the next two, scoring twice against Pukke and once against Ikeys.

The massive youngster has all the pedigree needed to make it at senior level having represented the Lions from primary school level up and SA Schools in 2012. I will not surprise me to see him called up to the u/20 Bok squad for the JRWC later this year.

Vital stats:
(For interest sake compared with Bizzie and Ginger)

Malcolm Marx Bismark du Plessis Steven Kitshoff
AGE 18 26 21
HEIGHT 1,88 1,89 1,83
WEIGHT 119 113 114

 

Prepresentative rugby:

South Africa – SA Schools 2012
Lions U18 Craven Week – 2012
SA Academy  – SA Schools – 2011
Lions U16 Grant Khomo Week – 2010
Lions U13 U13 Coca-Cola Craven Week – 2007

The former KES schoolboy signed up with the Lions until 2014 on a junior contract and could also feature in the Lions Vodacom Cup campaign as the indications are that the Lions’ senior players will only see limited game time in the Vodacom Cup. The Lions Vodacom Cup team will be made up, mostly, of junior players while the senior players will focus on their Wooden Spoon Knockouts Preparation Programme.

I am always sceptical about using youngsters like this, especially in the front row, at senior level and hope that he will be used carefully to minimise the risk of injury. Big he might be but he is after all only 18 years old and just a kid starting to play with the big boys.

Hopefully he can emulate other KES old boys like Bryan Habana and Graeme Smith and build an illustrious sports career. Here’s wishing the youngster a successful rugby career!

Update: Malcolm was included in the u/20 Bok touring squad to Argentina for the pre-JRWC warm up matches against the Pumas.

Golden Lions in the touring squad: Albertus Smith, Kurshwill Williams, Malcolm Marx, Jannie Stander, Harold Vorster, Devon Marthinus

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Celebrating the Lions (mis)Fortune

February 14, 2013 in Uncategorized

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Two trains of thought that have surfaced in the media in recent weeks about this whole Kings-Lions-Super Rugby debacle bug me no end.

1. The Lions are lucky that they have a pressure-free year to rebuild.

Gavin Rich, in his article “Envy the Lions, don’t pity them” writes: “Indeed, the Lions may be the franchise to be envied … the coaches have a rare opportunity to experiment with game-plans and players without the massive pressure that comes with having to win every week” and “The Lions have a rare opportunity to build without the pressure that usually accompanies top level rugby.”

Mark Keohane writes: “The Lions, the victims in 2013, will be long-term victors because in a pressure-free environment of friendly encounters they are building a player base they never had in Super Rugby.”

What this viewpoint conveniently ignores is that the Lions lost a large part of their core of top players, senior and junior, and has been put back to 2010 when they had to rebuild on a base of a few loyal players, youngsters, has-beens, never-wasses and journeymen. This view ignores the fact that the Lions, should they win the Wooden Spoon Knockout games, will go into Super Rugby 2014 with nearly half a squad of rookies, again.

They did that in 2010 after losing more than 15 players the year before and came unstuck.

They did that in 2011 after John Mitchell cleared out the uncommitted, aged and useless and struggled.

They did that in 2012 when they had up to 14 players out injured per game and were kicked out of Super Rugby.

So, please explain to me how it is a good thing for the Lions to have to build again.

The Lions have put SARU’s farcical decision behind them and have taken up the challenge, organised a preparation programme to regain their place in Super Rugby despite the efforts of SARU and South Africa’s rugby administrators efforts to break them and to ruin them and will work their asses off to get back into Super Rugby next year.

Yes, the Lions do have a year free of Super Rugby pressures to “rebuild” but don’t try and convince me that dog shit is chocolate cake.

2. It’s SARU’s fault that the Kings are not competitive.

While I don’t argue that SARU’s ham handed and soft cocked handling of the Kings’ entry into Super hasn’t caused the Kings problems one cannot argue that the Kings are without blame, just as the Lions aren’t blameless to the fate that befell them.

Since 2009 the Kings have been receiving their share of Super Rugby monies and used the funds to strengthen EP Kings at the expense of Border and SWD but haven’t been able to progress to the Currie Cup Premier Division, something both the Pumas and the Leopards were able to do with a lot less money available and no big money marquee players. The Pumas don’t even have a university to retain or attract young players.

The EP Kings continued to feature largely lily white teams, from Craven Week up, despite their main motivation for Super Rugby inclusion being the development local black talent because, face it, EP was never a “great” union, not even in the “good old days”, that deserved to be in Super Rugby because of their rugby achievements.

The Kings didn’t have to force the issue for inclusion this year and  could have waited for the renewal of the SANZAR deal in 2016 but instead, with their attitude of entitlement, they bargained on a three year deal and, when that didn’t happen, they bargained on using foreign players.

Fact is, after 4 years in preparation for Super Rugby the Kings still aren’t ready for it and to blame SARU as the sole cause of their unpreparedness is ludicrous. Yes, giving them only one year to “prove” themselves is a farce but they could have been much better prepared than they are now.

Spin it any way you like but the Kings were the co-architects of their current situation.

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Lions vs Kings – the jury is still out

February 10, 2013 in Uncategorized

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In front of 19000 spectators, the biggest crowd of the Lions Challenge so far, the Lions beat the Kings 41-31.

Supporters of both teams will read into the match result whatever they want but the Lions cannot be happy with they way the lost focus in the second half after leading 27-7. Whether it was due to the Kings fighting back, the spate of replacements that were sent on or some other reason, the Lions tendency to “take a break” for about 20 minutes per game has been a worry for a long time now and on Saturday it nearly resulted in an embarrassing loss.

All credit to the Kings for fighting back and taking their chances and congratulations to the Lions for sticking it out and pulling off a win.

“What matters isn’t how well you play when you’re playing well. What matters is how well you play when you’re playing badly.”  – Martina Navratilova

For the Lions the second half was a wake-up call – you cannot relax for 20 minutes in a game and expect to win the crucial games.

On the plus side, the Lions scrums, lineouts, rucks and mauls worked well and they totally outplayed the Kings in those departments but, considering the talented players in the backline, it is disturbing that they couldn’t score a single backline try.

On the negative side, letting in a spate of soft tries after doing all the hard graft and you have your opponents on the rack is inexcusable, even if a number of replacements are sent on which disturbs the flow. Replacement players should fit in to the onfield structures and not disrupt your game but enhance it. The Lions coaches will also not be happy with the number of handling errors and basic mistakes made on the day.

Would this Lions team have beaten a full strength Kings side? The point is moot, I know, but I think the Lions would still have dominated the set pieces and would, hopefully, have kept their focus better as there wouldn’t have been all the replacements to disrupt cohesion. But we’ll have to wait for July to get the answer.

The Lions have a five week break before taking on French bottom of the log club, Mont de Marsan, in March. Indications from the Lions coaching staff are that the Lions players will be used only sparingly in Vodacom Cup matches so they will remain focused on their preparation for the July knockout games.

During the next five weeks a number of injured players will get back onto the training fields and the squad, barring injuries during training, should be near full strength in time for their next match.

New injuries: Ross Cronje (broken thumb), Alwyn Hollenbach (hamstring)

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Lions team for the Kings game

February 7, 2013 in Uncategorized

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The Lions announced their team and made some interesting changes. Marnitz Boshoff starts at #15 with regular fullback, Andries Coetzee on the wing while young lock, JJ Breet, replaces injured Willie Britz at the side of the scrum. With Bondesio injured Ross Cronje starts again behind the scrum and injury returnee, Whestley Moolman, gets the backup spot on the bench and is joined there by Dylan Des Fountain, another returning from injury.

Lions: 15 Marnitz Boshoff, 14 Andries Coetzee, 13 Stokkies Hanekom, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Derick Minnie, 7 JJ Breet, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert , 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Francois du Toit, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg(c).

Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Gavin Annandale, 19 Warwick Tecklenburg, 20 Whestley Moolman, 21 Deon Helberg, 22 Ruhan Nel, 23 Dylan des Fountain

Southern Kings:15 Elric van Vuuren, 14 Marcello Sampson, 13 Wayne Stevens, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Siyanda Grey, 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Johan Herbst, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Mpho Mbiyozo, 6 Rynier Bernado, 5 Darron Nell (captain), 4 Tomas Leonardi, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Boetie Britz, 1 Lizo Gqoboko.

Replacements:16 Dane van der Westhuizen, 17 Khwezi Mkhafu, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Daniel Adongo, 20 Thabo Mamojelle, 21 Scott Mathie, 22 George Whitehead, 23 Scott van Breda.

Lions stats:

Ave age: 23.57
Total provincial caps: 761
Total Super Rugby caps: 176
Total Bok caps: 0

Kings stats:

Ave age: 24.61
Total provincial caps: 860
Total Super Rugby caps: 37
Total International caps: 13