Lions won’t take Jaguares lightly
JOHANNESBURG: Swys de Bruin is taking no chances against the Jaguares.
The Lions boss has named his strongest possible lineup for the match at Ellis Park on Saturday, picking a team including eight Springboks in the starting side and in spite of the fact the men from Argentina have never won in Joburg.
Agustin Creevy’s team are coming off a close defeat by the Stormers while the Lions opened their 2018 Super Rugby challenge with an equally hardfought win against the Sharks last weekend. The hosts have won both previous meetings at Ellis Park.
“They’re a full-on international side. They play an interesting style of attacking rugby and their nine-10 combination is very good ... in fact from (captain Agustin) Creevy at hooker, their whole spine is good,” De Bruyn said.
“They carry the ball strongly and to be honest they don’t have many weaknesses, but it’s also hard to say specifically what their strengths are. What we do know is we’re going to have to be on top of our game if we’re to beat them.”
Indeed, the Jaguares are a team who like to make matters difficult for the opposition and enjoy a good ol’ scrap. Lions skipper Warren Whiteley also said a tough test awaited his side.
“They play with a lot of intensity, they’ve got explosive players and like to make a lot of passes ... play with ball in hand,” he said. “They play a direct game, carry hard, but then they also take opportunities and try things.”
What De Bruin and Whiteley seem to be suggesting is they know they’re in for a tough encounter against an always unpredictable Jaguares outfit. The visitors are also a team who know what it takes to beat the twice recent runners-up, having edged them in both meetings in Buenos Aires in the last two years; even though the Lions fielded a weakened team on both occasions.
The only change in the Lions’ starting team from a week ago is that lock Andries Ferreira – who withdrew on the eve of the Sharks game with a stomach bug – is set to see his first real action of the year, with the other changes coming on the bench.
With Ferreira “100% fit”, according to De Bruin, and Lourens Erasmus coming in on the bench, there is no place for Marvin Orie in the squad while flank Marnus Schoeman also misses out.