Lions reveal 'new' URC team

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has named his team for their United Rugby Championship season-opener.

The Lions host the Bulls in a Trans-Jukskei derby in a Round One outing at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The team is remarkably similar to that which narrowly lost to the Sharks (43-45) in a pre-season outing a fortnight ago.

The backline is unchanged from the pre-season warm-up outing, but the pack shows five changes.

The team is captained by lock Reinhardt Nothnagel – who will be partnered in the second row by Ruan Venter.

Ruhan Straeuli starts as the blindside flank in the place vacated by Venter’s move to lock, with Sibusiso Sangweni at openside flank in place of Travis Gordon.

Springbok Ruan Dreyer will start at tighthead prop in a revamped front row that also features Sithembiso Sithole at loosehead prop.

Ruan Smith will feature off the bench and Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been axed from the matchday squad.

* (Team is listed below …)

Head coach Ivan van Rooyen’s post match reflections, after the Emirates Lions 43 – 45 pre-season warm-up match against the Cell C Sharks at Emirates Airline Park on Friday.#LionsPride pic.twitter.com/K7pleGHTE4

— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) September 5, 2022

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Quan Horn, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruhan Straeuli, 6 Sibusiso Sangweni, 5 Reinhardt Nothnagel (captain), 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Pieter Botha, 1 Sithembiso Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Jean-Pierre Smith, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Pieter Jansen van Vuren, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Gianni Lombard, 23 Zander du Plessis.

Date: Saturday, September 17
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 16:05 (14.05 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa), Griffin Colby (South Africa)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuisen (South Africa)