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Cape Town - New Lions skipper JC Janse van Rensburg says they firmly believe they are capable of defending their Currie Cup crown.
Prop Janse van Rensburg was named as the Lions' new captain after Josh Strauss quit the role to focus more on his own game.
The Lions won the competition last year after upsetting the Sharks 42-16 in the final - a win which left many of their fans expecting a good effort in the Super Rugby competition this year. But they failed badly, finishing last on the log and having a campaign marred by a player revolution against coach John Mitchell, which subsequently saw the suspension of Mitchell. He was replaced by Johan Ackermann for the Currie Cup season.
But despite a turbulent season the new skipper is upbeat for the rest of 2012.
"We're going flat out to defend our title and I know we are capable of doing it.
"We've forgotten about Super Rugby. It happened and it's over now. We've turned over a new leaf and we want to keep our Currie Cup crown," he told Beeld.
They start the defence of their title at home to the Free State Cheetahs on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 17:05.
Teams:
Lions:
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Waylon Murray, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Derick Minnie, 7 Joshua Strauss, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco Van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).
Substitutes: Francois Du Toit, CJ Van der Linde, Willie Britz, Warren Whiteley, Ross Cronje, Guy Cronje, Ruan Combrinck.
Free State Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Robert Ebersohn (captain), 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Pieter van Zyl, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Lappies Labuschagné, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Waltie Vermeulen, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Substitutes: 16 Elandré Huggett, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Francois Uys, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman.
Prop Janse van Rensburg was named as the Lions' new captain after Josh Strauss quit the role to focus more on his own game.
The Lions won the competition last year after upsetting the Sharks 42-16 in the final - a win which left many of their fans expecting a good effort in the Super Rugby competition this year. But they failed badly, finishing last on the log and having a campaign marred by a player revolution against coach John Mitchell, which subsequently saw the suspension of Mitchell. He was replaced by Johan Ackermann for the Currie Cup season.
But despite a turbulent season the new skipper is upbeat for the rest of 2012.
"We're going flat out to defend our title and I know we are capable of doing it.
"We've forgotten about Super Rugby. It happened and it's over now. We've turned over a new leaf and we want to keep our Currie Cup crown," he told Beeld.
They start the defence of their title at home to the Free State Cheetahs on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 17:05.
Teams:
Lions:
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Waylon Murray, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Derick Minnie, 7 Joshua Strauss, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco Van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).
Substitutes: Francois Du Toit, CJ Van der Linde, Willie Britz, Warren Whiteley, Ross Cronje, Guy Cronje, Ruan Combrinck.
Free State Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Robert Ebersohn (captain), 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Pieter van Zyl, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Lappies Labuschagné, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Waltie Vermeulen, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Substitutes: 16 Elandré Huggett, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Francois Uys, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman.
