The Emirates Lions open their EPCR Challenge Cup account against Welsh outfit Ospreys on Sunday at the Swansea.com Stadium (5.15pm SAST).
Head coach Ivan van Rooyen has tweaked his match day squad ahead of the encounter with Nico Steyn leading the side from the scrumhalf position. Talented flyhalf Sam Francis makes his international debut for the franchise after impressive performances in junior and senior domestic competitions in recent months. Another Junior Springbok in the form of loosehead prop SJ Kotze is also in line to make his international club debut from the replacements bench.
Speaking earlier in the week, assistant coach Julian Redelinghuys is aware of the challenge his side will face on Sunday against a team that has had the better of the Johannesburg franchise in recent meetings.
“It’s unfortunate that we don’t have favourable experiences with the Ospreys, more often than not they are unfavourable experiences. We are expecting it to be a physical game, with difficult conditions in Swansea and Europe and something for us to work on is making sure our handling in the conditions is better.
“They are a physical and tough team and we expect a difficult kicking game,” the former Springbok prop concluded.
Elsewhere, lock Darrien Landsberg makes a return from injury to partner Etienne Oosthuizen in the second row. Ruhan Straeuli, Sanele Nohamba and Marius Louw are amongst the impact players available on the bench.
Emirates Lions starting XV: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Richard Kriel, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Rabz Maxwane; 10 Sam Francis, 9 Nico Steyn (capt); 8 WJ Steenkamp, 7 Izan Esterhuizen, 6 JC Pretorius; 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen; 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Morgan Naude. Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 SJ Kotze, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Ruhan Straeuli, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Marius Louw.
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