Johannesburg - The Emirates Lions will be without the services of hooker Jaco Visagie and lock Pieter Jansen van Vuren this weekend when they face the Bulls in a United Rugby Championship (URC) encounter at Emirates Airline Park.
Both Visagie and Van Vuren have fallen fell of injury ahead of the Jukskei Derby on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) and will be replaced by PJ Botha and Springbok Willem Alberts, respectively, the union revealed in a statement on Friday morning. To cover at lock on the bench, coach Ivan van Rooyen has selected Baby Bok Ruan Venter.
"I feel for Pieter," said Van Rooyen in the statement. "He worked so hard to come back from his knee injury he suffered on tour. We wish him a speedy recovery from this latest setback.
"The opportunity now awaits Ruan, who's had a fantastic past few months, including a SA Rugby Under-20 Cup winner’s medal. He could possibly get his chance on Saturday. Providing opportunities to young players is a common theme for us here at the franchise and it’s something we pride ourselves in."
"In the same breath, the entire squad buys into what we are trying to achieve in the URC , so everyone plays a key part towards that goal,'' Van Rooyen concluded."
Elsewhere, Emmanuel Tshituka will start in the No 7 jersey ahead of Ruhan Straeuli, while Morne Brandon and Sibusiso Sangweni have been elevated from Currie Cup duty into the matchday 23.
Emirates Lions Starting XV: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal (capt), 11 Sibahle Maxwane, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Willem Alberts, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Sti Sithole; Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Morgan Naude, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Ruan Venter, 20 Ruhan Straeuli, 21 Sibusiso Sangweni, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel