Publications
Partners
Pieter Jordaan
Johannesburg - The Currie Cup is physical warfare between teams that could beat each other on any given day.
That is the impression that Lions coach John Mitchell has of the tournament and what he believes is lying in store for his team in the coming months.
Much is expected of the Lions, even if Friday's opening clash at Coca-Cola Park is against a Pumas side that beat them on the same field last year.
"They dominated us physically last year and we were probably lucky to win our earlier game against them (in Witbank). We just did not 'pitch' for the home game. That defeat is definitely something we remember. We will use it as motivation because we have to start the tournament well," said Mitchell.
Every player in the Lions' starting line-up played Super Rugby this year and Mitchell views the Currie Cup as highly competitive.
"Any team could beat another and it's a very physical game every week - it's brutal. It will be a lot like the Super Rugby derbies. There won't be as much movement and footwork as there is in Super Rugby, but it will be very physical."
Doppies la Grange will captain the side on Friday and has Alwyn Hollenbach as his centre partner, while Waylon Murray is still regaining his fitness.
JC Janse van Rensburg (prop), David de Villiers (lock), Warren Whiteley (eighthman) and Deon van Rensburg (wing) are still out of action. Youngsters Caylib Oosthuizen (prop) and Hein Cronjé (flyhalf) have been picked on the substitutes bench.
Meanwhile, the Pumas will be using a Lions loan player, Pieter Engelbrecht, in the game.
Engelbrecht and former Cheetah JW Jonker will run out as the centre pairing in the Pumas' striking pink jersey.
"I'm particularly excited about our backline this year," said Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse.
Teams:
Golden Lions: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Dylan des Fountain, 13 Alwyn Hollenbach, 12 Doppies la Grange (k), 11 Lionel Mapoe, 10 Burton Francis, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Patric Cilliers
Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Joe Snyman, 19 Dries van Schalkwyk, 20 Michael Bondesio, 21 Hein Cronjé, 22 Michael Killian.
Pumas: 15 MJ Mentz, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Pieter Engelbrecht, 11 Ashwin Scott, 10 Ricardo Croy, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Doppies le Roux, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corne Steenkamp (cpt), 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Rudi Mathee, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Pellow van der Westhuizen, 1 Dawie Steyn.
Substitutes: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Brett Nel, 18 Boela Serfontein, 19 RW Kember, 20 Tian Meyer, 21 Tiaan Marx, 22 Carl Bezuidenhout
Johannesburg - The Currie Cup is physical warfare between teams that could beat each other on any given day.
That is the impression that Lions coach John Mitchell has of the tournament and what he believes is lying in store for his team in the coming months.
Much is expected of the Lions, even if Friday's opening clash at Coca-Cola Park is against a Pumas side that beat them on the same field last year.
"They dominated us physically last year and we were probably lucky to win our earlier game against them (in Witbank). We just did not 'pitch' for the home game. That defeat is definitely something we remember. We will use it as motivation because we have to start the tournament well," said Mitchell.
Every player in the Lions' starting line-up played Super Rugby this year and Mitchell views the Currie Cup as highly competitive.
"Any team could beat another and it's a very physical game every week - it's brutal. It will be a lot like the Super Rugby derbies. There won't be as much movement and footwork as there is in Super Rugby, but it will be very physical."
Doppies la Grange will captain the side on Friday and has Alwyn Hollenbach as his centre partner, while Waylon Murray is still regaining his fitness.
JC Janse van Rensburg (prop), David de Villiers (lock), Warren Whiteley (eighthman) and Deon van Rensburg (wing) are still out of action. Youngsters Caylib Oosthuizen (prop) and Hein Cronjé (flyhalf) have been picked on the substitutes bench.
Meanwhile, the Pumas will be using a Lions loan player, Pieter Engelbrecht, in the game.
Engelbrecht and former Cheetah JW Jonker will run out as the centre pairing in the Pumas' striking pink jersey.
"I'm particularly excited about our backline this year," said Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse.
Teams:
Golden Lions: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Dylan des Fountain, 13 Alwyn Hollenbach, 12 Doppies la Grange (k), 11 Lionel Mapoe, 10 Burton Francis, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Patric Cilliers
Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Joe Snyman, 19 Dries van Schalkwyk, 20 Michael Bondesio, 21 Hein Cronjé, 22 Michael Killian.
Pumas: 15 MJ Mentz, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Pieter Engelbrecht, 11 Ashwin Scott, 10 Ricardo Croy, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Doppies le Roux, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corne Steenkamp (cpt), 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Rudi Mathee, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Pellow van der Westhuizen, 1 Dawie Steyn.
Substitutes: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Brett Nel, 18 Boela Serfontein, 19 RW Kember, 20 Tian Meyer, 21 Tiaan Marx, 22 Carl Bezuidenhout
