Lions 'rotate' for Highlanders
Lions coach Johan Ackermann has decided to "rotate" a number of players ahead of his team's second tour match.
The Lions take on the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday in a Super Rugby Round 13 encounter and the side shows a number of changes from that which lost 8-38 to the Chiefs last week.
The most significant change is at flyhalf, where Marnitz Boshoff returns at No.10 in place of Springbok Elton Jantjies – whop drops down to the replacement bench.
Another backline change sees Anthony Volmink also starting on the left wing, with Courtnall Skosan moving to the right wing and Deon van Rensburg dropping out of the matchday squad.
In the forwards there has been just one change, with sees Luvuyiso Lusaseni starting at lock in place of Franco Mostert – who drops out of the matchday 22.
On the bench Corne Fourie has been called up to provide prop cover, while Rudi Matthee (lock) and Warwick Tecklenburg (loose forward) are also on the replacement bench.
"It is all part of our rotation," Ackermann told rugby365 in an interview from the team's training base in New Zealand.
"I also left Franco Mostert and Willie Britz out of the matchday squad this week," he said, adding: "There are a number of players who I promised will get game time on tour and are in for this week."
He said Boshoff, who came off the bench and played at fullback against the Chiefs, gets a run in his preferred position at flyhalf.
"Elton [Jantjies] got a chance – be that fair or unfair – against one of the best teams," Ackermann told this website.
"Now we rotate back. Bossie [Boshoff] has to grab this opportunity and show why he was the first-choice a few weeks back.
"I gave an undertaking to everybody that they will play on tour and after this weekend everybody would have had a run on tour."
Lions: 15 Chrysander Botha, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Jacques van Rooyen, 19 Rudi Matthee, 20 Warwick Tecklenburg, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 JW Jonker.
Date: Saturday, May 10
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-off: 19.35 (07.35 GMT; 09.35 SA time)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)
TMO: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
By Jan de Koning
