OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME

EMIRATES LIONS vs Southern Kings

Friday 8 July 2016 19:00

CONTENTSPRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 5

ACTION COLLAGE 7

VODACOM MESSAGE 9

A STELLAR YEAR FOR LOG-LEADING LIONS 11

SUPER RUGBY TEAMS 14

U19 PROVINCIAL TEAMS 17

CURRIE CUP: CHASING SUCCESSIVE TITLES 19

FREEZE FRAME ACTION 21

FIXTURES AND RESULTS 23

Publishers: Rugbyvaria Editor: Annemie Bester Graphic Design: Reneé Naudé Advertising: Annemie Bester

GLRU Media and PR Manager: Annemie Bester Photographer: Deon van der Merwe Website: lionsrugby.co.za

PREVIOUS PROGRAMMESOFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME

EMIRATES LIONS vs Cell C Sharks

Saturday 2 July 2016 17:10

TODAY WE WELCOME the Southern Kings to our home turf and we look forward to a clash which has traditionally been a tight tussle.

It is a rather special weekend for the Emirates Lions who have ensured that they will be at home for the quarterfinal. They will also take the field today as the very first Lions team to lead the Vodacom Super Rugby competition log overall.

A big thank you is extended to Vodacom for making this exciting competition possible. A heartfelt thank you to each and every sponsor and partner for your support and especially thank you to Emirates, our team sponsor. It is an honour and privilege to have you backing us. Your

support, on all levels, is invaluable and we are proud to have you as not only our team sponsor but our partner and friend. Today we also host the Xerox Golden Lions Under-19 side at Emirates Airline Park when they play Free State in the curtain raiser. Good luck to coach Johan Ackermann and captain Jaco Kriel for the encounter against the Southern Kings.

Please remember to visit our website www.lionsrugby.co.za for all your Lions rugby news.

Enjoy the day with us.

Kevin de Klerk.President: GLRU

WELCOME TO EMIRATES AIRLINE PARK, HOME OF THE EMIRATES LIONS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE • 5www.lionsrugby.co.za

SA vs Ireland, Emirates Airline Park

Photos by Deon van der Merwe.

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GO ALL OUT RUGBY AND REAP THE RED REWARDS

VODACOM MESSAGE • 9www.lionsrugby.co.za

THE EMIRATES LIONS could well exceed the most points scored by a side in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition’s 21 years since 1996.

Leading the overall log – for the very first time in their history, including the years that they teamed up with the Free State as the Cats – the Lions have also scored the most tries thus far in this year’s competition.

Now on 456 aggregate points for the season, the Lions still need 86 points to exceed the present record of 541, set by Crusaders in 2005.

To achieve that, the Lions will probably have to go all the way in the Super Rugby competition. This will include two league matches, a semi-final and a final.

However, even if the Lions do reach the new record total of 542 points, they can still be beaten to the record target by the Chiefs, who are currently 30 points behind the Lions and have also scored two tries less that the leading 60 by the Lions.

• It is indeed a huge leap for the Lions since 2007 when they recorded the lowest aggregate for a season (then the

A STELLAR YEAR FOR LOG-LEADING LIONS

LIONS WHO HAVE SHARKS TIES • 11www.lionsrugby.co.za

By Wim van der Berg

A STELLAR YEAR FOR LOG-LEADING LIONS • 11

Photos: GB Jordaan

www.lionsrugby.co.za

old Super14 competition). They scored only 175 points in their 13 league matches in that season (incidentally the same number of games played to date).

• But it’s about more than mere stats. The Lions have impressed with their humility in victory, their team spirit, the captaincy by their two captains and the way they have responded to their coaches.

The latter aspect has elevated head coach Johan Ackermann, in coaching terms probably not really fully experienced yet despite his successes to date, in the spotlight.

And it has also, for the first time, given assistant coach Swys de Bruin the deserved opportunity to prove his extraordinary ability to coach skills to a greater audience than before.

It is the coaching of these two, not forgetting the input by assitent coach JP Ferreira and fitness coach Ivan van Rooyen that laid the foundation for the success to date – and especially the running style that has made the Lions one of spectators’ favourite sides in the competition.

Arguably the coaches’ greatest success has been the identification of young talent, in many instances discarded by their former unions, and their ability to convey and instil a belief and confidence, added to their skills coaching, to the youngsters.

One of the season’s highlights, of course, has been the selection of eight of the Lions side for the incoming three-test series against Ireland. And there are a few more on the conveyor belt for later this year or in 2017, of that there can be little doubt.

A STELLAR YEAR FOR LOG-LEADING LIONS • 13

Photos: GB Jordaan

EMIRATES LIONS

8 JULY 2016

15 Andries Coetzee 14 Ruan Combrinck

13 Lionel Mapoe 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg

11 Courtnall Skosan 10 Elton Jantjies 9 Faf de Klerk

8 Ruan Ackermann 7 Warwick Tecklenburg

6 Jaco Kriel (capt.)5 Franco Mostert 4 Andries Ferreira

3 Julian Redelinghuys 2 Malcolm Marx 1 Dylan Smith

Replacements:16 Armand van der Merwe

17 Corné Fourie 18 Jacques van Rooyen 19 Lourens Erasmus

20 Cyle Brink 21 Ross Cronjé

22 Howard Mnisi 23 Sylvian Mahuza

Coaches:Johan Ackermann (Head Coach) Swys de Bruin (Assistant Coach)

JP Ferreira (Assistant Coach)

Referee: Jaco van Heerden AR1: Jaco Peyper AR2: Ben Crouse TMO: Johan Greeff

Referee: Jaco van Heerden AR1: Jaco Peyper AR2: Ben Crouse TMO: Johan Greeff

KICK-OFF: 19:00

SOUTHERN KINGS

15 Malcolm Jaer14 Lukhanyo Am

13 Stefan Watermeyer12 Shane Gates

11 Wandile Mjekevu 10 Louis Fouche

9 James Hall8 Aidon Davis

7 Stefan Willemse6 Andisa Ntsila

5 JC Astle4 Schalk Oelofse

3 Jacobie Adriaanse2 Edgar Marutlulle (capt.)

1 Sti Sithole

Replacements:16 Martin Bezuidenhout

17 Schalk Ferreira 18 Tom Botha

19 Sintu Manjezi20 Jacques Engelbrecht

21 Ntando Kebe22 Dewald Human23 Jeremy Ward

Coaches:Deon Davids (Head Coach)

Mzwandile Stick (Assistant Coach)Barend Pieterse (Assistant Coach)

TOYOTA FREE STATE CHEETAHS

15 Lourens Schreuder14 Ruan Henning13 Kurt Eybers

12 William Eybers11 DawidSnyman

10 Christiaan Schutte9 Damian Cederas 8 Albertus de Bod

7 Jurie Burger6 George Rossouw (capt.)

5 Ewan Coetzee4 Sibabalo Qoma3 Andrew Kuhn2 Abri Coetzee 1 Boan Venter

Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merve

17 Chrisjan du Toit18 Kian Skippers

19 Jean Smal20 Ettiene Becker

21 Jarik van der Walt22 Johan van der Walt23 Kwenzokhule Blose

COACHESMelusi MtethaSkillie Bester

XEROX GOLDEN LIONS

15 Jeanluc Cilliers14 Tyreeq Februarie13 Zander Crause

12 Wayne van der Bank11 Siya Khuleshwayo10 Bader Prestorius

9 Brad Thain8 Len Massyn

7 Edwin Jansen6 Chrisjan Steynberg

5 Reinhardt Nothnagel4 Adre Smith

3 Chergin Fillies2 Justin Brandon

1 Leo Kruger

Replacements: 16 HP Van Schoor

17 Rouxbann Boumann18 Niell Bezuidenhout

19 Tian Venter20 Patrick Wait21 Eddie Fouche

22 Jan-Louis Le Grange23 Michael Madosh

COACHESJoey MongaloNeil de BruinPhilip Lemmer:

U19 PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP

KICK-OFF: 16:30

www.lionsrugby.co.zaReferee: Paul Mente

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FOR THE 12TH time, the Xerox Golden Lions this year entered a rugby year as proud Currie Cup champions.

Last year, in winning the Currie Cup against Western Province in a scintillating final, the Golden Lions put the cherry on top for the union and the Lions franchise after the Emirates Lions excellent Super Rugby series.

Of course, the pressure of being defending champions and the loss of a number of their leading players who will be in the Springbok side or plying their trade in Japan, will make the Currie Cup competition a real challenge for the Xerox Golden Lions.

The business end of the competition starts in August when the top nine sides will do battle on an alternating home and away round robin basis with the semi-final and final to follow.

The Lions’ four home matches in the Premier Division will all be played at Emirates Airline Park.

The six franchise unions – the Golden Lions, Western Province, the Blue Bulls, the Cheetahs, Sharks and the EP Kings – are guaranteed their places in the nine-

team Premier Division. The other three teams will be the leading sides on the qualifying log outside of the franchises.

With the qualifying rounds of 14 matches per team nearing its end, Griquas have already ensured their place in the nine-team Premier Division. The Boland Cavaliers and the Pumas are just about there. For the Griffons to overhaul them, they need to win their three remaining matches while the Cavaliers and/or Pumas need to lose their three matches.

CURRIE CUP: THE CHALLENGE TO MAKE IT TWO IN A ROW

CURRIE CUP • 19www.lionsrugby.co.za

By Wim van der Berg

Photo by Deon van der Merwe

27 Sunwolves vs Emirates Lions 13–26 Tokyo

5 Chiefs vs Emirates Lions 32–36 Hamilton12 Highlanders vs Emirates Lions 34–15 Dunedin19 Emirates Lions vs Toyota Cheetahs 39–22 Emirates Airline Park

1 Emirates Lions vs BNZ Crusaders 37–43 Emirates Airline Park9 Sharks vs Emirates Lions 9-24 Kings Park16 Emirates Lions vs DHL Stormers 29–22 Emirates Airline Park23 Southern Kings vs Emirates Lions 10–45 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium30 Emirates Lions vs Hurricanes 17–50 Emirates Airline Park

14 Emirates Lions vs Blues 43-5 Emirates Airline Park 21 Emirates Lions vs Jaguares 56-20 Emirates Airline Park28 Vodacom Bulls vs Emirates Lions 24-52 Loftus Versfeld

2 Emirates Lions vs Sharks 37-10 Emirates Airline Park

8 Emirates Lions vs Southern Kings Emirates Airline Park

16 Jaguares vs Emirates Lions Buenos Aires

FEBRUARY

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EMIRATES LIONS SUPER RUGBY FIXTURES AND RESULTS 2016

www.lionsrugby.co.za

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