Johannesburg - It’s not every day that the Lions go into a match in which they can boast superior experience and knowledge, but that will certainly be the case when they travel to Kimberley for Friday’s Currie Cup encounter against the Griquas.
The visitors will have a host of players with multiple franchise minutes clocked in the clash.
The likes of Manuel Rass, Rynhardt Jonker, Stean Pienaar, Gianni Lombard and Morne van den Berg in the backline; plus Travis Gordon, Emmanuel Tshituka, Darrien Landsberg, Ruben Schoeman, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Jaco Visagie and Rhynardt Rijnsburger in the first 8, all possess United Rugby Championship (URC) experience this season.
The bench, as selected by Mzwakhe Nkosi on Thursday, is equally as impressive and even the briefest of glances at the team over the last fortnight indicates that the Joburgers have given the head coach a healthy injection of personnel to select from for the rest of the domestic season.
There are some battled-hardened names that have the form, fitness, and mental fortitude to overcome the conditions of Kimberley’s famously exacting Windhoek Draught Park; and a lionhearted Griquas side that posses its own unique talents, including the explosive Sevens skills of backline trio Rosko Specman, Sako Makata and Lubabalo Dobela.
Nevertheless, the point of divergence between the two teams remains in the quality and adversity one squad of players has faced these last few months, when compared to the other, and the trickle-down effect that might have on the greenhorns within the system.
It is an aspect of the match-up which Lions centre Jonker alluded to ahead of the game, on Thursday, as the team departed for the Northern Cape.
Said Jonker: “I’ve gained a lot of experience playing in the URC and the EPCR.
“Having to go overseas and playing in those tough conditions is something you are not used to, but you take a lot from it when you get back to SA. Playing behind guys like Marra (Marius Louw) and gaining that experience from him, he has been through it all …
“The game (in the URC) is much quicker. The speed of play is much higher, and you must identify space a lot quicker.”
It is an undeniable advantage that the Lions must exploit if they are to claim an important fourth victory after nine games. The Griquas have won one more game than their visitors but both teams are on 19 points.
It is only better points difference and superior bonus-point haul by the Lions - fifth in the standings - that has kept Nkosi and Co tentatively in the top 4 discussion.
Both teams can ill-afford another loss but if the Lions truly want to be considered serious semi-final contenders, they must bare the weight of their experience on the Griquas and win these type of games, just as they did last week against the Pumas
Lions team: 15 Vaughen Isaacs, 14 Prince Nkabinde, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Stean Pienaar, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Travis Gordon, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Jaco Visagie (capt), 1 Rhynardt Rijnsburger.
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Morgan Naude, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Raynard Roets, 20 Ruhan Straeuli, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Tyler Bocks, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel
Griquas team: 15 Ashlon Davids, 14 Rosko Specman, 13 Jay-Cee Nel, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Sako Makata, 10 Lubabalo Dobela, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Carl Els, 7 Hanru Sirgel, 6 Thabo Ndimande, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Derik Pretorius, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Cebo Dlamini.
Replacements: 16 Sean Swart, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Justin Forwood, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Niel Otto, 21 Regan Oranje, 22 George Whitehead, 23 Sango Xamlashe.
@FreemanZAR
IOL Sport