Lions 'supersized' team for Tahs
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have ‘supersized’ their team for the Super Rugby semifinal showdown with the Waratahs on Saturday.
Regular lock Lourens Erasmus starts at flank, in the place of the injured Cyle Brink, at Ellis Park.
Brink has failed a fitness test, after he injured his shoulder in the quarterfinal win over the Jaguares last week.
While Brink has been in outstanding form in recent weeks, especially with his ball-carrying ability, Erasmus’ sheer size will be a major asset for the Lions in what is expected to be a brutally physical game.
Erasmus stands two metres tall and weighs in at 115 kilograms
Brink, himself not a small flank, is 1.90 metres and 115 kilograms.
* Meanwhile centre Harold Vorster will run out in his 50th Super Rugby game.
He made his Super Rugby debut in 2015.
He will be joining the Wild Knights in Japan for the Currie Cup season and will return for Super Rugby next year.
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrink, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Lourens Erasmus, 6 Albertus Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Marvin Orie, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Corne Fourie, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Hacjivah Dayimani, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Courtnall Skosan, 23 Howard Mnisi.
Date: Saturday, July 28
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT; 23.00 AEST)
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
