The Emirates Lions face a tricky assignment in Buenos Aires on Saturday against the rugged Jaguares in their quest to finish in the overall top spot of the Vodacom Super Rugby standings.
The match is the last of the weekend’s fixtures and kicks off at 11.40pm SA time.
As things currently stand, the Highvelders are one point in front of the Chiefs, who are leading a pack of New Zealand sides still in contention for places in the playoffs.
A bonus point win will guarantee the Lions (52 points) first spot on the overall log and with that the privilege of home ground advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Chiefs (51) could make a move for the overall top position with a bonus-point over the Highlanders, however, the Johannesburg side have a far stronger point difference in the event of both teams finish on the same amount of league points.
Despite this Lions coach Johan Ackermann decided to rest his first-choice team for the trip to Argentina so he will have fresh legs for the next phase of the tournament.
Scrumhalf Ross Cronje will now captain the side and the experienced centre Howard Mnisi is his deputy. Ackermann named a provisional bench with two extra players and he will make his final match-day selection before the weekend.
There were 76 points scored the only time these teams met in Super Rugby with the Emirates Lions coming away 52-24 victors. The Jaguares have led at halftime in four of their last seven games, though they’ve gone on to win only twice.
The Johannesburg team have won their last five games, a sixth straight win would be their longest streak in competition history.
Stand-in skipper Jaco Kriel (47) has beaten the most defenders of any forward this season, and the fifth most overall.
Teams: Jaguares: 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Julian Montoya, 3 Ramiro Herrera; 4.Guido Petty, 5 Tomás Lavanini; 6.Javier Ortega Desio 7 Juan M Leguizamón, 8 Facundo Isa; 9 Martín Landajo, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Manuel Montero, 12 J Juan Martin Hernandez , 13.Jerónimo de la Fuente , 14 Santiago Cordero; 15 Joaquín Tuculet.
Replacements : 16 Facudo Bosch, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Mattias Alemanno, 20.Marcos Kremer , 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22.Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23.Mattias Orlando
Emirates Lions: 15 Sylvian Mahuza, 14 Koch Marx, 13 Stokkies Hanekom, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Ross Cronje (captain), 8 Cyle Brink, 7 Robert Kruger, 6 Stef de Witt, 5 Lourens Erasmus, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements (two to be omitted): 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Clinton Theron, 18 Pieter Scholtz, 19 Fabian Booysen, 20 Ruaan Lerm, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Jacques Nel, 23 Shaun Reynolds, 24 Bobby de Wee, 25 Ashlon Davids.
Referee: Rohan Hoffman
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner, Federico Anselmi
TMO: Santiago Borsani
South Africa Today Sport – Rugby News