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Johannesburg - Auto and General Lions coach Dick Muir is eyeing his side’s first victory ahead of Friday’s Vodacom Super 14 clash with the Highlanders in Dunedin.
Muir told Supersport.com that despite his team’s poor showing until now in the Super 14, he was confident “of getting a result” at the House of Pain when the two sides clash.
The Highlanders have only won one game this season and their coach Glenn Moore is under significant pressure with a debate in the local newspapers already started as to whether he needs to be fired or not.
And Muir, whose side has been competitive but has lacked in defence, is confident his team can overcome the hurdle before they head home to Johannesburg for a bye to lick their wounds.
“This has been a very long road trip for us and I must say there has been a massive dose of enthusiasm in the side this week. In this state of mind, I’m expecting us to get a result here,” Muir told Supersport.com.
“The Highlanders in a lot of ways are in a similar position to us and don’t have superstars. If we play well and we don’t allow them to play well, we will be in with more than a shout.”
Muir added that he had spent a lot of time on the team’s defence and was hopeful that the same mistakes would not be repeated this weekend.
“Sometimes it is difficult to put a finger on it. We do certain things right but through a lack of experience we make fundamental mistakes which are costing us games each week. Unfortunately we are not a side with too many international players so we have to work for our points and every single player has to be good on the day,” Muir added.
The Highlanders have some injury worries of their own, with young flyhalf Robbie Robertson in doubt.
"Robbie's had a little bit of a niggly injury so we are just waiting to see how that is on Friday. We are hoping he'll be fine," coach Glenn Moore told the Southland Times.
Lions:15. Michael Killian, 14. Wigan Pekeur, 13. Walter Venter, 12. Doppies la Grange, 11. Tonderai Chavhanga, 10. Carlos Spencer, 9. Jano Vermaak, 8. Todd Clever, 7. Derick Minnie, 6. Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Nico Luus, 3. Ross Geldenhuys, 2. Hannes Franklin, 1. JC Janse van Rensburg.
Substitutes: 16. Charles Emslie, 17. Heinke van der Merwe, 18. Willem Stoltz, 19. Robert Kruger, 20. JP Joubert, 21. Wandile Mjekevu, 22. Earl Rose.
Highlanders:
15. Israel Dagg, 14. Ben Smith 13. Kendrick Lynn, 12. Michael Hobbs, 11. James Paterson, 10. Robbie Robinson, 9. Jimmy Cowan (captain), 8. Steven Setephano, 7. John Hardie, 6. Adam Thomson 5. Hayden Triggs, 4. Josh Bekhuis, 3. Clint Newland, 2. Jason Rutledge, 1. Jamie Mackintosh.
Substitutes: 16. Jason Macdonald, 17. Bronson Murray, 18. Joe Tuineau, 19. Tim Boys, 20. Sean Romans, 21. Jason Shoemark, 22. Fetu’u Vainikolo.
