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Cape Town - Lions coach Johan Ackermann is pleased that their Super Rugby clash against the Highlanders will be played under a closed roof in Dunedin on Saturday.
Bad weather en route to Dunedin on Thursday morning (SA time) necessitated the aircraft carrying the Lionsto turn around which delayed their arrival ahead of Saturday’s clash.
“We had a good week in Rotorua, it is just a pity about our traveling that was affected by the weather. We again spent many hours on the plane and we will arrive in Dunedin later than planned,” Ackermann said on Friday.
While arriving late in Dunedin will disrupt his team's preparations, the Lions mentor is happy that the weather won’t spoil proceedings on the field of play.
"Although the weather is bad on the south island at the moment, the Highlanders stadium has a roof and I believe it will be an exciting game against the defending champions with a lot of All Blacks in their side. We must just recuperate from the travel and give our best.”
The Lions slept in Wellington on Thursday evening and flew out to Dunedin on Friday morning (New Zealand time).
Kick-off for Saturday’s clash at Forsyth Barr Stadium is scheduled for 08:35 (SA time).
Teams:
Highlanders
15 Ben Smith (captain), 14 Matt Faddes, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Rob Thompson,
11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Dan
Pryor, 6 Luke Whitelock, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Siosiua
Halanukonuka, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Brendon Edmonds
Substitutes: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Elliot Dixon, 20 Shane Christie, 21 Josh Renton, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Jason Emery
Lions
15 Jaco Van Der Walt, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Warwick Tecklenberg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Substitutes: 16 Armand Van Der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Jacques Nel, 23 Andries Coetzee
