Africa-Press – South-Africa. In their Currie Cup opener at Ellis Park on Saturday, the Lions have the opportunity to exact revenge and set a marker against the team they lost to so dramatically in last year’s final but flyhalf Lubabalo Dobela warned they cannot afford to be overzealous.
Last year, the Lions had one hand on the trophy at the full-time siren but manufactured a way to still lose 16-14 as the competition climaxed.
Though Dobela is happy the Lions have an early crack at the Sharks, he is pleading for his teammates to have calm heads.
“I think it is still fresh for a lot of guys. We want to set the tone. We have home ground advantage. We want to go out with a bang but at the same time not get too excited and lose what your focus is.
“We are going in blind because neither team has had a warm-up game,” Dobela added.
Though he is desperate to break the Lions’ trophy drought that stretches back to 2015, coach Mziwakhe Nkosi has a few boxes that require ticking while stressing the Lions unapologetically also have to prepare for the United Rugby Championship.
“We have a number of guys who didn’t get a lot of game time in the URC. We have to expose them again and give them some game time. We have something like 10 U-21s and a couple of Junior Boks and then we have some new additions like Angelo Davids.”
In fact, Davids, the former Stormers winger, finds himself in the Lions’ starting team against the Sharks.
Left wing Rabz Maxwane returns after an ankle injury kept him on the sidelines for nearly four months.
Regular flyhalf Gianni Lombard occupies the last line of defence, while Dobela is tasked with pulling the strings at flyhalf.
Hooker Jaco Visagie has been tasked with leading the team, a familiar role for the 33-year-old who guided the Lions to last year’s final.
Last year, the only Currie Cup blemishes the Lions suffered were against the Sharks in the league and the final.
“That is not going to count for anything this year,” cautioned Nkosi.
“The Sharks are a good team. They’ll bring experienced guys like Dian Bleuler and I see Lee-Marvin (Mazibuko) is in the mix and (Gideon) Koegelenberg. I think they are going to be a tough team.”
While Koegelenberg is in the starting second row, props Bleuler and Mazibuko will start from the bench.
Given the Lions’ disassociation with success in the Currie Cup and the URC, Ellis Park’s vast stands on a chilly winter afternoon are unlikely to be over populated on Saturday.
The quest for tangible success is not lost on some of their players.
“We need to win this thing,” intoned lock Darrien Landsberg.
“We had that in the plan last year, unfortunately it didn’t go according to plan. We need to buckle up and make sure we achieve the goal this year.”
Teams
Lions — Gianni Lombard, Angelo Davids, Manuel Rass, Rynhardt Jonker, Rabz Maxwane; Lubabalo Dobela, Nico Steyn; WJ Steenkamp, Izan Esterhuizen, Jarod Cairns; Darrien Landsberg, Raynard Roets; RF Schoeman, Jaco Visagie (captain), Morgan Naude.
Substitutes: Morne Brandon, SJ Kotze, Heiko Pohlmann, Dylan Sjoblom, Renzo du Plessis, Layton Horn, Kade Wolhuter, Kelly Mpeku.
Sharks — Hakeem Kunene, Phiko Sobahle, Litelihle Bester, Janco Purchase, Jean Smith, Khuthi Rasivhaga, Bradley Davids, Nick Hatton (captain), Jannes Potgieter, Sphephelo Mbonambi, Deon Slabbert, Gideon Koegelenberg, Mawande Mdanda, Bryce Calvert, Phatu Ganyane.
Substitutes: Liam van Wyk, Dian Bleuler, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, Kuhle Mthimkhulu, Thomas Dyer, Tiaan Fourie, Drico Marx, Chijindu Okonta
Kickoff: 3pm
Referee: Dylen November
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
