Lions add weight to their arsenal for big Ulster clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions coaches have made two changes for their United Rugby Championship clash with Ulster at Ravenhill Stadium in Belfast on Friday.
Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Willem Alberts will get their first starts on tour while Rabz Maxwane and Ruan Smith make their first appearances of the tour from the bench.
Ruben Schoeman is set to run out for his 50th game for the Lions.
The Lions clocked their first win on tour last week against the Scarlets and have opted to keep their winning halfback combo of Sanele Nohamba at flyhalf and Morne van den Berg at scrumhalf.
Van Rooyens’ team is currently sitting in 12th position on the log ahead of this massive encounter with Ulster, who is fourth on the log behind Glasgow (third), Leinster (second) and log leaders the Bulls.
The Lions is currently the top performing team in the scrum department with 100% on scrums won. The added weight of the mammoth prop Ntlabakanye is sure to give Ulster an uphill battle come scrum time.
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Richard Kriel, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Sanele Nohamba, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Hanru Sirgel, 5 Willem Alberts, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Corne Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 JP Smith, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Ruan Venter, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Jordan Hendrikse, 23 Rabz Maxwane
Date: Friday, November 17
Venue: Ravenhill Stadium
Kick-off: 19.35 (21.35 SAST; 19.35 GMT)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Frank Murphy (Ireland), Padraic Reidy (Ireland)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ireland)
