Preview: Golden Lions v Boland

Editor

The Golden Lions will be hoping to bounce back against Boland at Ellis Park after a shock loss to the Griquas last weekend. 

The Johannesburg side suffered a 30-24 loss in Kimberley last week, which would have surprised them considering their dominant performance against the Pumas the weekend before where they won 68-26. They will need to use this weekend's performance to get back into the swing of things if they want to contest for the coveted trophy. 

The Boland Cavaliers are coming off a big loss against the Sharks at home where they were defeated 41-20 in Wellington. Boland have showed they can win away when after they beat the Kings with a bonus-point in Port Elizabeth earlier on in the competition.

The Lions currently sit at fourth on the table but are well behind the Cheetahs and Sharks but the Pride of Jozi do have a game in hand. If they win this game with a bonus point it will send into the top three just behind the table leaders. 

If Boland win they will leap-frog the Lions and go into fourth place on the overall table. 

Boland coach Brent Janse van Rensburg says the Lions will have a point to prove after losing to Griquas this past weekend.
 
"The Lions are a very good team and are well coached. They will most certainly put together a big fight back after losing to the Griquas and I anticipate they will want to try play us off our feet with tempo & intensity coming out the blocks to set the tone for the game," Janse van Rensburg told the official Boland website.
 
"They challenge defences with their ball in hand approach. We will need to be better defensively this week and it is imperative that we match their intensity if we are to contain their attack."

Johan Ackermann has made wholesale changes to his side. He has completely revamped the front-row with Corné Fourie, Ramone Samuels and Pieter Scholtz binding up. In the second-row Ruan Ackermann moves from number eight to lock with Martin Muller wearing the five jersey. There will also be a new back-row as Steph de Wit, Victor Sekekete and Ruaan Lerm make up the loose-forwards.

In the backline, Dillon Smit will start at nine and with former Springbok fly-half Marnitz Boshoff at 10 and outside them will be Howard Mnisi and Jacques Nel as the centres.

Namibian fly-half Theuns Kotze starts in the 10 jersey. Kotze will get his first start for Boland in the Premier Division this season since returning from International duties. Wayne Wilschut replaces Jordaan at eighth-man, with Joubert Horn getting his first start at lock. Boland have been fraught with injury after their match with the Sharks last week. Zandré Jordaan, Jacques Engelbrecht, Nico Scheepers and Jovelian de Koker have all been sidelined with injuries.

The last time these teams met: The Cavaliers finished off their Currie Cup Qualifiers with a 28-24 win over the Golden Lions. The Wellington men scored four tries to the Lions three at Grabouw High School. Chadley Wenn, Robert Louw, Sergio Torrens and Shaun McDonald all crossed the try-line while Jacques Nel dotted down and Lions flanker Victor Sekekete scored a brace for his side.  

Prediction: Boland have shown a lot of promise this Currie Cup but the Lions should have too much experience and intensity for the Wellington men. Lions by 15. 

Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Selom Gavor, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Howard Mnisi (c), 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Victor Sekekete, 6 Steph de Wit, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Ruan Ackermann, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 Corne Fourie 
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Bobby de Wee, 19 Cyle Brink, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Koch Marx, 22 JW Bell

Boland: 15 Adriaan Carelse, 14 Sergio Torrens, 13 Christopher Bosch, 12 Ryan Nel (c), 11 Danwel Demas, 10 Theuns Kotze, 9 Gerhard Jordaan, 8 Wayne Wilschut, 7 Shaun McDonald, 6 Shaun Adendorff, 5 Joubert Horn, 4 Hanno Kitshoff, 3 Basil Short, 2 Francois Esterhuizen, 1 Francois Hanekom,
Replacements: 16 Clemen Lewis, 17 Enoch Mnyaka, 18 SP Wessels, 19 Ockie van Zyl, 20 Kenan Cronje, 21 Marnus Hugo, 22 Gerrit van Wyk

Date: Friday, August 26
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17:00 local (15:00 GMT)
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant Referees: Archie Sehlako, Pieter Maritz
TMO: JJ du Wagner