Emirates Lionns vs Southern Kings

OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME

EMIRATES LIONS vs Southern Kings Friday 8 July 2016 19:00

CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

5

ACTION COLLAGE

7

VODACOM MESSAGE

9

A STELLAR YEAR FOR LOG-LEADING LIONS

11

SUPER RUGBY TEAMS 14 U19 PROVINCIAL TEAMS

17

CURRIE CUP: CHASING SUCCESSIVE TITLES

19

FREEZE FRAME ACTION

21

FIXTURES AND RESULTS 23

PREVIOUS PROGRAMMES

OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME

EMIRATES LIONS vs Cell C Sharks

Saturday 2 July 2016 17:10

Publishers: Rugbyvaria Editor: Annemie Bester Graphic Design: Reneé Naudé

Advertising: Annemie Bester

GLRU Media and PR Manager: Annemie Bester Photographer: Deon van der Merwe Website: lionsrugby.co.za

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE • 5 www.lionsrugby.co.za

WELCOME TO EMIRATES AIRLINE PARK, HOME OF THE EMIRATES LIONS TODAY WE WELCOME the Southern Kings to our home turf and we look forward to a clash which has traditionally been a tight tussle.

support, on all levels, is invaluable and we are proud to have you as not only our team sponsor but our partner and friend.

It is a rather special weekend for the Emirates Lions who have ensured that they will be at home for the quarterfinal.

They will also take the field today as the very first Lions team to lead the Vodacom Super Rugby competition log overall.

Today we also host the Xerox Golden Lions Under-19 side at Emirates Airline Park when they play Free State in the curtain raiser.

A big thank you is extended to Vodacom for making this exciting competition possible.

A heartfelt thank you to each and every sponsor and partner for your support and especially thank you to Emirates, our team sponsor. It is an honour and privilege to have you backing us.Your

Good luck to coach Johan Ackermann and captain Jaco Kriel for the encounter against the Southern Kings.

Please remember to visit our website www.lionsrugby.co.za for all your Lions rugby news.

Enjoy the day with us.

Kevin de Klerk.

President: GLRU

SA vs Ireland, Emirates Airline Park

Photos by Deon van der Merwe.

VODACOM MESSAGE • 9 www.lionsrugby.co.za

GO ALL OUT RUGBY AND REAP THE RED REWARDS VODACOM RED CUSTOMERS are not only being shown the advantage but could also be awarded a penalty try for the 2016 Vodacom Super Rugby playoffs.

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Download, touch and go to the playoffs with Vodacom Melanie Forbes Managing Executive:Â CBU Gauteng Vodacom

LIONS WHO HAVE SHARKS• TIES A STELLAR YEAR FOR LOG-LEADING LIONS 11 • www.lionsrugby.co.za

Photos: GB Jordaan

A STELLAR YEAR FOR LOG-LEADING LIONS

By Wim van der Berg THE EMIRATES LIONS could well exceed the most points scored by a side in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition’s 21 years since 1996.

To achieve that, the Lions will probably have to go all the way in the Super Rugby competition. This will include two league matches, a semi-final and a final.

Leading the overall log – for the very first time in their history, including the years that they teamed up with the Free State as the Cats – the Lions have also scored the most tries thus far in this year’s competition.

However, even if the Lions do reach the new record total of 542 points, they can still be beaten to the record target by the Chiefs, who are currently 30 points behind the Lions and have also scored two tries less that the leading 60 by the Lions.

Now on 456 aggregate points for the season, the Lions still need 86 points to exceed the present record of 541, set by Crusaders in 2005.

• It is indeed a huge leap for the Lions since 2007 when they recorded the lowest aggregate for a season (then the

11

A STELLAR YEAR FOR LOG-LEADING LIONS • 13 www.lionsrugby.co.za

old Super14 competition). They scored only 175 points in their 13 league matches in that season (incidentally the same number of games played to date).

• But it’s about more than mere stats. The Lions have impressed with their humility in victory, their team spirit, the captaincy by their two captains and the way they have responded to their coaches.

The latter aspect has elevated head coach Johan Ackermann, in coaching terms probably not really fully experienced yet despite his successes to date, in the spotlight.

And it has also, for the first time, given assistant coach Swys de Bruin the deserved opportunity to prove his extraordinary ability to coach skills to a greater audience than before.

Photos: GB Jordaan

It is the coaching of these two, not forgetting the input by assitent coach JP Ferreira and fitness coach Ivan van Rooyen that laid the foundation for the success to date – and especially the running style that has made the Lions one of spectators’ favourite sides in the competition.

Arguably the coaches’ greatest success has been the identification of young talent, in many instances discarded by their former unions, and their ability to convey and instil a belief and confidence, added to their skills coaching, to the youngsters.

One of the season’s highlights, of course, has been the selection of eight of the Lions side for the incoming three-test series against Ireland. And there are a few more on the conveyor belt for later this year or in 2017, of that there can be little doubt.

EMIRATES LIONS

15 Andries Coetzee 14 Ruan Combrinck 13 Lionel Mapoe 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg 11 Courtnall Skosan 10 Elton Jantjies 9 Faf de Klerk 8 Ruan Ackermann 7 Warwick Tecklenburg 6 Jaco Kriel (capt.)

5 Franco Mostert 4 Andries Ferreira 3 Julian Redelinghuys 2 Malcolm Marx 1 Dylan Smith

Replacements:

16 Armand van der Merwe 17 Corné Fourie 18 Jacques van Rooyen 19 Lourens Erasmus 20 Cyle Brink 21 Ross Cronjé 22 Howard Mnisi 23 Sylvian Mahuza Coaches: Johan Ackermann (Head Coach) Swys de Bruin (Assistant Coach) JP Ferreira (Assistant Coach) 8 JULY 2016 Referee: Jaco van Heerden

AR1: Jaco Peyper

SOUTHERN KINGS

15 Malcolm Jaer 14 Lukhanyo Am 13 Stefan Watermeyer 12 Shane Gates 11 Wandile Mjekevu 10 Louis Fouche 9 James Hall 8 Aidon Davis 7 Stefan Willemse 6 Andisa Ntsila 5 JC Astle 4 Schalk Oelofse 3 Jacobie Adriaanse 2 Edgar Marutlulle (capt.)

1 Sti Sithole

Replacements:

16 Martin Bezuidenhout 17 Schalk Ferreira 18 Tom Botha 19 Sintu Manjezi 20 Jacques Engelbrecht 21 Ntando Kebe 22 Dewald Human 23 Jeremy Ward Coaches: Deon Davids (Head Coach) Mzwandile Stick (Assistant Coach) Barend Pieterse (Assistant Coach) KICK-OFF: 19:00 AR2: Ben Crouse TMO: Johan Greeff

U19 PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP KICK-OFF: 16:30

XEROX GOLDEN LIONS

TOYOTA FREE STATE CHEETAHS

15 Jeanluc Cilliers 14 Tyreeq Februarie 13 Zander Crause 12 Wayne van der Bank 11 Siya Khuleshwayo 10 Bader Prestorius 9 Brad Thain 8 Len Massyn 7 Edwin Jansen 6 Chrisjan Steynberg 5 Reinhardt Nothnagel 4 Adre Smith 3 Chergin Fillies 2 Justin Brandon 1 Leo Kruger

15 Lourens Schreuder 14 Ruan Henning 13 Kurt Eybers 12 William Eybers 11 DawidSnyman 10 Christiaan Schutte 9 Damian Cederas 8 Albertus de Bod 7 Jurie Burger 6 George Rossouw (capt.)

5 Ewan Coetzee 4 Sibabalo Qoma 3 Andrew Kuhn 2 Abri Coetzee 1 Boan Venter

Replacements: 16 HP Van Schoor 17 Rouxbann Boumann 18 Niell Bezuidenhout 19 Tian Venter 20 Patrick Wait 21 Eddie Fouche 22 Jan-Louis Le Grange 23 Michael Madosh

Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merve 17 Chrisjan du Toit 18 Kian Skippers 19 Jean Smal 20 Ettiene Becker 21 Jarik van der Walt 22 Johan van der Walt 23 Kwenzokhule Blose

COACHES

COACHES Melusi Mtetha Skillie Bester

Joey Mongalo Neil de Bruin Philip Lemmer:

Referee: Paul Mente

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CURRIE CUP • 19 www.lionsrugby.co.za

CURRIE CUP: THE CHALLENGE TO MAKE IT TWO IN A ROW

By Wim van der Berg

FOR THE 12TH time, the Xerox Golden Lions this year entered a rugby year as proud Currie Cup champions.

Last year, in winning the Currie Cup against Western Province in a scintillating final, the Golden Lions put the cherry on top for the union and the Lions franchise after the Emirates Lions excellent Super Rugby series.

Of course, the pressure of being defending champions and the loss of a number of their leading players who will be in the Springbok side or plying their trade in Japan, will make the Currie Cup competition a real challenge for the Xerox Golden Lions.

The business end of the competition starts in August when the top nine sides will do battle on an alternating home and away round robin basis with the semifinal and final to follow.

The Lions’ four home matches in the Premier Division will all be played at Emirates Airline Park.

The six franchise unions – the Golden Lions, Western Province, the Blue Bulls, the Cheetahs, Sharks and the EP Kings – are guaranteed their places in the nine-

team Premier Division. The other three teams will be the leading sides on the qualifying log outside of the franchises.

With the qualifying rounds of 14 matches per team nearing its end, Griquas have already ensured their place in the nine-team Premier Division. The Boland Cavaliers and the Pumas are just about there. For the Griffons to overhaul them, they need to win their three remaining matches while the Cavaliers and/or Pumas need to lose their three matches.

Photo by Deon van der Merwe

EMIRATES LIONS SUPER RUGBY

FIXTURES AND RESULTS 2016 FEBRUARY 27

Sunwolves vs Emirates Lions 13–26

Tokyo

MARCH 5 12 19

Chiefs vs Emirates Lions 32–36 Highlanders vs Emirates Lions 34–15 Emirates Lions vs Toyota Cheetahs 39–22

Hamilton Dunedin Emirates Airline Park

APRIL 1 9 16 23 30

Emirates Lions vs BNZ Crusaders 37–43 Sharks vs Emirates Lions 9-24 Emirates Lions vs DHL Stormers 29–22 Southern Kings vs Emirates Lions 10–45 Emirates Lions vs Hurricanes 17–50

Emirates Airline Park Kings Park Emirates Airline Park Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Emirates Airline Park

MAY 14 21 28

Emirates Lions vs Blues 43-5 Emirates Lions vs Jaguares 56-20 Vodacom Bulls vs Emirates Lions 24-52

Emirates Airline Park Emirates Airline Park Loftus Versfeld

JULY 2

Emirates Lions vs Sharks 37-10

Emirates Airline Park

8

Emirates Lions vs Southern Kings

Emirates Airline Park

16

Jaguares vs Emirates Lions

Buenos Aires

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