Planet Rugby Forum

With just days to go before the team’s next Unlocked match on Friday, the men from Joburg have yet to train this week.
The Lions will only know on Wednesday whether they will get the green-light to host Griquas in a Super Rugby Unlocked encounter at Ellis Park on Friday.

This, after the team and coaching personnel’s latest Covid test results are to be known – on Wednesday morning.

The entire squad was tested, like normal, on Tuesday morning. The team though have yet to train this week.

Currently 11 members of the Lions Super Rugby Unlocked squad are affected by Covid-19, which resulted in last Saturday’s match against the Cheetahs, set for Ellis Park, to be called off at the last minute.

And while the word from Lions headquarters in downtown Joburg on Monday was that it was “business as usual”, the squad didn’t train like they normally do on a Monday.

Rather, the team met up on Zoom, to discuss the latest developments, and didn’t get close to a rugby field.

And, it is understood, the players returned to the safety of their homes early on Tuesday morning from Ellis Park, following their latest round of Covid tests. They would not train on Tuesday either.

A decision on whether Friday’s game against Griquas goes ahead or not will likely be made only on Wednesday morning, once all the results are returned. Should there be no more positive cases, and those who were positive are now negative, the Lions could hit the training ground immediately.

Cash van Rooyen and his coaching team would, however, only have a few training sessions left before Friday’s match.

Also, Griquas would have to be informed timeously about the game, as they would normally travel to Joburg from Kimberly the day before the match, in this case, Thursday.

If Friday’s match does go ahead, it will kick off at 7pm.

The Lions have confirmed Friday’s clash with Griquas has been greenlighted to go ahead after the latest round of Covid-19 testing.

Last weekend’s Super Rugby Unlocked match between the Lions and Cheetahs, scheduled for Ellis Park, was called off in line with Covid-19 protocols.

The decision was taken as part of prescribed precautions advised by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to limit the risk of further infection in the rugby community.

Griquas coach Scott Mathie has made nine changes to his starting lineup for Friday’s Super Rugby Unlocked clash with the Lions at Ellis Park.

Only six players from their last match – a home defeat for the Pumas almost a fortnight ago – have retained their positions in the starting lineup, while there are two positional changes.

Jensrsa wrote: ↑Wed Oct 28, 2020 6:29 pm I see Elton's grade 1 calf injury only took a week to heal. For lesser mortals it takes 3+ weeks

Jensrsa wrote: ↑Thu Oct 29, 2020 11:11 am Sharks to play Pumas: 15 Manie Libbok, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 JJ van der Mescht, 3 John-Hubert Meyer, 2 Dan Jooste, 1 Ox Nché.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Yaw Penxe.

Date: Saturday, October 31
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-off: 16.30 (14.30 GMT)
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant Referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Egon Seconds
TMO: Marius Jonker

A statement from the Lions on Friday morning said that Kriel would not feature as he ‘has been withdrawn…due to personal reasons’.

‘We support him in this difficult time,’ the Lions statement added.

Jensrsa wrote: ↑Thu Oct 29, 2020 4:05 pm Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (c).
Subs: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 David Meihuizen, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Ben-Jason Dixon, 23 Godlen Masimla, 24 Tim Swiel, 25 Angelo Davids, 26 Tristan Leyds.

Date: Saturday, October 31
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron, Stuart Berry

ZuluBoy wrote: ↑Sat Oct 31, 2020 8:14 pm It saved Stormers from further embarrassment

Jensrsa wrote: ↑Sun Nov 01, 2020 4:46 am

Seems the Cheetahs and Lions don't get 2 points each for the cancelled game

Midfieldmaestro wrote: ↑Sun Nov 01, 2020 5:42 am Bulls is 'n trappie op van die res op die oomblik. Hul game gisteraand kan mens net se: " hulle vattie kakkie van kabouters nie". Dalk bring leeus hul bietjie aarde toe maar sal n man op n perd kos