Lions still the team to beat
Even without their Springboks, Ackermann's men remain odds on to retain their Currie Cup title, says Jacques van der Westhyzen.
|||Johannesburg - If the Bulls, Sharks, Western Province and the Cheetahs thought they’d have things a little easier against the Lions in the Currie Cup this season, they are horribly mistaken.
Sure the Lions will be minus their nine Springboks for much of the competition and some of them will also join Warwick Tecklenburg in Japan later on. But Johan Ackermann’s defending champions will still be the team to beat this year. The missing Boks are Warren Whiteley, Faf de Klerk, Ruan Combrinck, Malcolm Marx, Julian Redelinghuys, Lionel Mapoe, Elton Jantjies, Franco Mostert and Jaco Kriel.
The Lions, after going unbeaten through the competition last year en route to the title, kick off their challenge against the Pumas at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Ackermann, just back from Wellington in New Zealand following his Super Rugby team’s final defeat to the Hurricanes, will rely on the likes of Dylan Smith, Akker van der Merwe, Lourens Erasmus, Cyle Brink, Ross Cronje, Jaco van der Walt, Howard Mnisi, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Courtnall Skosan and Andries Coetzee in the coming weeks, ensuring the Lions team will remain a formidable outfit.
In some good news for the team, hooker Robbie Coetzee and flank Kwagga Smith will be available for most of the campaign, the former back after a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury and the latter available after his Rio Sevens commitments.
The race for the captaincy will be interesting with Ross Cronje and Howard Mnisi the favourites to lead the side.
Seasoned players who won’t be available for selection in the coming weeks because of injury include Ruan Dreyer, Robert Kruger and Harold Vorster.
Ackermann will name the starting line-up for the Pumas match today.
SQUAD
Forwards: Dylan Smith, Cornè Fourie, Jacques van Rooyen, Pieter Scholtz, Justin Ackerman, Armand van der Merwe, Ramone Samuels, Robbie Coetzee, MB Lusaseni, Lourens Erasmus, Andries Ferreira, Bobby de Wee, JP du Preez, Cyle Brink, Steph de Wit, Ruaan Lerm, Fabian Booysen, Victor Sekekete, Kwagga Smith, Ruan Ackermann
Backs: Ross Cronjè, Dillon Smit, Marco Janse van Vuren, Marnitz Boshoff, Jaco van der Walt, Ashlon Davids, Courtnall Skosan, Anthony Volmink, Selom Gavor, Koch Marx, Sylvian Mahuza, Andries Coetzee, JW Bell, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Howard Mnisi, Stokkies Hanekom, Jacques Nel
Probable starting XV: Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza, Howard Mnisi, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Courtnall Skosan, Jaco van der Walt, Ross Cronje, Ruan Ackermann, Fabian Booysen, Cyle Brink, Lourens Erasmus, Andries Ferreira, Jacques van Rooyen, Akker van der Merwe, Dylan Smith
Independent Media