Lions play Bulls in URC opening without Sibusiso Sangweni

Johannesburg — Sibusiso Sangweni has big shoes to fill, but the Lions loose forward is confident he will be well-equipped to withstand the Bulls’ assault this weekend.

Sangweni will start against the Pretoria-based team on Saturday at Emirates Airline Park (4:05pm kickoff). Ruhan Straeuli and Francke Horn will also be in the starting XV, and there will be heightened interest in how the trio performs without former comrade Vincent Tshituka.

Last season, the 21-year-old played 14 United Rugby Championship (URC) matches, so when the new season begins this weekend, he will be well-versed in the tournament’s rigors.

“Last season, we were in uncharted waters,” Sangweni said Thursday at the Johannesburg Stadium Lions training session. It was the initial URC.

“Last season, I was fortunate enough to play in more than 10 games, so I can now bring that experience. It is not so much about being frenetic as it is about giving peace to the team.

“We must also have a singular focus on the purpose of the day. We must maintain composure among the team.”

On Friday, the Bulls will select their matchday 23. It is possible that the team could be loaded with exceptionally good and dangerous players, particularly at flanker and eighthman. Marcell Coetzee was a great player during the previous URC season, while Cyle Brink, a former Lion, is a destructive opponent.

Additionally, Marco Jansen van Vuuren has returned to the north. Elrigh Louw, meantime, is unavailable for selection as he is on the Springboks’ bench for Saturday’s Rugby Championship match against Argentina.

Sangweni said of the sketched battlelines, “It will be a dogfight.

“They have quality loose forwards, but I believe we have evolved as a team throughout the offseason as well. We have assembled the best possible loose-trio, and we will need to bring our A-game.

“We will be labeled underdogs for the time being,” he continued, “but that’s when you can surprise people. Because nobody expects it, we don’t mind surprising folks on the weekend.

Lions Starting XV: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Quan Horn, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruhan Straeuli, 6 Sibusiso Sangweni, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel (capt), 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Sti Sithole;

Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 JP Smith, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Pieter Jansen van Vuren, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Sanele Nohamaba, 22 Gianni Lombard, 23 Zander du Plessis

@FreemanZAR