Johannesburg - The Lions pick their starting XV to face the Bulls in the opening round of the United Rugby Championship today, and coach Ivan van Rooyen and company will have a few selections that will require deep pondering.
Here Morgan Bolton picks his starting XV for Saturday’s match at Ellis Park.
OUT-BACKS
If it were my call, I would certainly pop the prodigal son Gianni Lombard in at fullback.
Thankfully it is not up to me and I can instead enjoy opinionated armchair views with little repercussions, while looking suspiciously at the return of Andries Coetzee.
Choosing the wings is easier as you don’t have to look further than Rabz Maxwane and Edwill van der Merwe – but this is one area where Van Rooyen could surprise all and sundry.
The Lions could pick Stean Pienaar and Griquas loanee Sango Xamlashe to bookend the backline, but the bolter in the team is certainly Quan Horn, who started on the right wing in the recent warm-up match against the Sharks.
My picks: No 15 Lombard, 14 Horn, 11 Van der Merwe
MIDFIELD
Returning to that Sharks warm-up match, Van Rooyen started new signing Marius Louw at inside centre and Henco van Wyk on his outside.
There is a lot of expectation on Van Wyk, in particular, and there is no reason to believe the Lions won’t stick to this combination for the home encounter against the Bulls.
My picks: 13 Van Wyk, 12 Louw
HALFBACKS
This is arguably the easiest area to select, because you would imagine it will be Jordan Hendrikse and Morne van den Berg.
There are, of course, Sanele Nohamba and Andre Warner to consider as scrumhalf options, while Tiaan Swanepoel and Lombard could foreseeably slot into the No 10 channel should Hendrikse come unstuck.
Nonetheless, there is currently really only one combination that should start this weekend’s match.
My picks: 10 Hendrikse, 9 Van den Berg
LOOSE TRIO
Despite losing stalward Vincent Tshituka, Van Rooyen still has a myriad of talented loosies to choose from.
Indeed, it is almost scandalous the number of skilled players the Joburgers have in this department.
Sure, the majority of them are Young Turks but, by George, they are quite irrepressible. A handful of them can also play at lock.
Travis Gordon, Ruan Venter, Francke Horn, Jaco Kriel, Ruhan Straeuli, Emmanuel Tshituka, Stephan Smit, Willem Alberts and Sibusiso Sangweni are among their number, so good luck trying to choose a starting trio.
To my mind, Jaco Kriel is surely the team’s captain and should start in the No 6 jersey, while on the blindside it is a toss up between Venter and Tshituka.
No 8 is arguably the easiest call as it must be former Baby Bok Horn
My picks: 8 Horn, 7 Tshituka, 6 Kriel
SECOND ROW
Conventional wisdom here will suggest that Van Rooyen will start the duo of Ruben Schoeman and Reinhard Nothnagel as his locks against the Bulls with little complaint.
Nevertheless, I would like to see Ruan Venter in the mix there. Van Rooyen has preferred him as a loose forward, but he will arguably be better served in the No 4 jersey.
My picks: 5 Nothnagel, 4 Venter
FRONT ROW
With Carlu Sadie now having departed, it is time for former Baby Bok Asenathi Ntlabakanye to step up and take hold of the tighthead slot.
A fit Sti Sithole will always remain your first-choice loosehead, but the Lions can also call on Ruan Smith and his brother JP. Ruan Dreyer, meanwhile, can play on both sides, and there is also Morgan Nuade to consider.
Hooker, meanwhile, will be tricky. PJ Botha was one of the in-form players for the Lions at the end of the last URC season, but Jaco Visagie – when on song – is difficult to overlook.
My picks: 3 Ntlabakanye, 2 Visagie, 1 Sithole