As reported yesterday, Dick Muir has made some expected changes to the Lions team to face the Brumbies, but he has gone much further than that…. there are 8 changes in the side in total. Only time will tell whether this is folly or a masterstroke of genius from Dick Muir.
At fullback Michael Killian gets a run in the place of Earl Rose, who is relegated to the bench.
Wandile Mjekevu, the speedy wing, is replaced with Dusty Noble.
Walter Venter replaces the injured Deon van Rensburg at outside centre.
At Flyhalf, Burton Francis gets his 1st Super 14 start, replacing Carlos Spencer, who apparently carries a slight injury and who is bracketed on the bench with Mjekevu.
At scrumhalf Dick Muir is persisting with JP Joubert in stead of opting for Jacques Coetzee, who has clearly been the better form scrumhalf.
As far as the forwards is concerned, Willem Stoltz regains his place in the lock position after serving out his suspension.
The real shocker however comes in the form of a fully rotated front row, where Kevin Buys, Charles Emslie and JC Janse van Rensburg replaces last week’s front row…. Heinke van der Merwe is relegated to the bench to cover both loosehead and tighthead prop positions.
One cannot help but question the wholesale changes made and it unfortunately leads me to believe that another very long afternoon of rugby awaits Lions supporters, against a Brumbies team who suddenly have their tails in the air. The questions already asked is whether Dick Muir is at panic stations, and whether he truly knows who his best 15 players are… I would hazard a guess that the answer is yes, Dick is already at panic station one and no, Dick certainly does not know who his best 15 are yet.
Despite the negativity the Lions and their supporters bring on themselves, we certainly hope they prove us wrong and win on the weekend.
The full side is as follows:
Lions: 15 Michael Killian, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Walter Venter, 12 Doppies La Grange, 11 Dusty Noble, 10 Burton Francis, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Todd Clever, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (c), 5 George Earle, 4 Willem Stoltz, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Charles Emslie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Subs: 16 Hannes Franklin, 17 Heinke van der Merwe , 18 Franco van der Merwe, 19 Jacques Lombaard/Robert Kruger, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Carlos Spencer/Wandile Mjekevu, 22 Earl Rose.
Warriors 121/6 (20/20 ov)
Cape Cobras 35/2 (7.1/20 ov)
Cape Cobras require another 87 runs with 8 wickets and 12.5 overs remaining
Cape Cobras RR 4.88
Last 5 ovs 28/1 RR 5.60
Required RR 6.77
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Puma, thanks mate.
Chances are slim, but giving Burton, Emslie, Walter, Dusty and Killian a first start will motivate thos guys to know they have a realistice chance at making the starting positions their own. That’ll lift their game as well as the guys that’s been given a rest.
The better the competition, the better the side. And in doing this there will be no complacency amongst the players. The better player will play.
25
Willa, wrong. When HM did that he was hauled over the coals and was nearly fired. Frik du Preez led urgent meetings quickly showed him his wrongs and immediately he responded.
Warriors 121/6 (20/20 ov)
Cape Cobras 52/2 (10.4/20 ov)
Cape Cobras require another 70 runs with 8 wickets and 56 balls remaining
30 – Super, You right, Cobras should win this. Just thought game on after two quick wickets. Pity Warriors never got a bigger score. Would have been a lot more exciting to watch. Then if they take a few quick wickets it could change but Cobras don’t need to worry too much. Just need to bide their time and they should win it.
SuperBul, but now every-one says he was a genuis in the way he did it? Not true??
Puma, i see the Warriors scored 20 runs in their last over, without that it would even be worse.
Do you know what happens if they end up with one win each?
32 – Willa just wish the Lions all the best. I spend about 5 months of each year in Joburg the rest in Umhlanga, so Lions will always be my 2nd team and will support them no matter what. As you know though Sharks are my first team I support, but they too not doing very well at all. So best of luck to both our teams mate.
Good luck to Lions against Brumbies. Remember Lions beating them last year at Ellis Park. Felt really very pleased for them.
This week might be even harder for my Sharkies to beat the Tahs. Tahs looked a really different team against the Bulls, compared to when they played Reds or Stormers. Think Tahs have now finally clicked and playing some very good rugby. Just that Bulls were brilliant on Saturday.
Anyhows good luck to Lions and Sharks.
Another wicket gone Super, hope this turns out to be exciting.
willa i am not in the mood to argue this tonight, but DM was a track record of playing players out of position, changing teams a lot. The Stormers pick the same team week after week with very little change.
I can see where they are going, the Lions though , i cant see how the squad can get any continuity going by so many changes. Its not my job or problem to solve the Lions problems. But the little i know, i would have loved to see the team get more game time together and then being strengthened by a addition here and there.
37 – Super, have no idea what happens if they end up with one win each. I hardly watch domestic crici. Just reading the papers today about the Warriors bowler about ‘Dusty’ and thought I must watch this one. As he has a contract with the Proteas and has never even played for them. Wanted to see how well this bowler really is. They rate him the best domestic bowler. So just had to watch.
28 – Puma, Good luck. Hope you guys pick it up soon. There’s so much quality in that side, can’t imagine them struggling for too long.
Maybe they’re starting slow this year and will end on a high, where usually they start off on a high and end slow? Here’s hoping….
Warriors 121/6 (20/20 ov)
Cape Cobras 64/3 (14.0/20 ov)
Cape Cobras require another 58 runs with 7 wickets and 36 balls remaining
Hi Puma, I have a dilema, I will have to do both this weeks and next weeks superbru picks over the next couple of days…..Nightmare, having to do two weeks together!!
Serious guesswork!
Super, 4 gone now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoooooooooooohoooooooo going to be exciting. Wow!!! exciting now boet.
Any hints?
Hi SuperBul
How is the new addition?
42 – Willa, Hoping mate really hoping. Also watching Lions with a lot of interest being my 2nd team and always wanting them to do well. So let us hope for both teams.
Best of luck for both this weekend. Both are getting so much flack from everyone. Hope both teams can prove everyone wrong. Really hope so Willa.
25@ Willa – Willa, I or we for that matter certainly do not have a problem with supporters devotion to a team, for that I commend you Lions and every other Bulls, Sharks, Cheetahs and Stormers supporter.
What I do have a problem with is the following:
1. I have a problem with certain groups not being able to take critisism, rather seeing it as an attack in stead of pure critisism of problems at a Union.
2. I have a problem with blind faith and believing beyond a semblance of reason that everything a coach does or his Administrators above him does is perfect and correct. There are none so blind as those who do not see!
3. I have a problem with the apparent Lions methodology and apparent game plan for this season, as I have similarly been critical of Frans Ludeke a couple of years ago for his methodologies. Is it a sin to be constructively critical in the eyes of you and your Lion friends?
4. I have a problem with the inability by the Lions and to a lessor extent all the other SA Francises to invest in the right players and management. For instance, I believe the Stormers have the wrong Flyhalf (Grant), so too the Sharks (Pienaar and / or Goode), so too the Cheetahs (Naas Olivier). Similarly I have a Problem with Manie Reyneke and Dick Muir at the Lions, for good reason. I’m also beginning to think that Plumtree at the Sharks might not be so good for the Union after all, and you can add the name of Naka at the Cheetahs. Is that wrong?
5. I have the singular problem that Lions supporters cannot take critisism of their Union, CEO or Coach, yet the Stormers, Cheetahs and Sharks seem capable of handling that same critisism.
Lets be honest and frank with one another, you and your partner and friends, have shunned this web site and other web sites because they (and us) are supposedly so negative towards the Lions, in stead of defining and standing up for your team here and elsewhere. You have now barricaded yourselves into the pity-party where only positive Lions speak is encouraged… in fact only allowed…
What should the Sharkie supporters do, should Puma and his mates follow the same tragic route and go the route of seperate Sharkie interaction as well…. I don’t think so.
Why the incessant bad-mouthing of Rugby-Talk on wetalkrugby, have I bad-mouthed wetalkrugby once? If so, show me the instance, and if true, I will be big enough to apologise, it certainly has not been the intention.
I expect the courtecy of an open answer here in front of everybody, I know and see who reads here in the background, and I know that you, Ed and others read here EVERY DAY!
Now carefully go ponder a response and give it to me strongly if needed, right here…
Let’s see who is big enough to sort this kak out, once and for all.
Superbul, hoor wat jy se, soos om n flank op haker te speel en n skrummie op vleuel.
n Belaglike gedagte.
Hello Carol, Hope you well.
Just going now quick to the tv to see what is happening in the domestic crici.
47
very well and since he is like his grandpa very sweet and calm. 😆
Your picks, you are doing well in Sbru. easy peasy
GBS….
My konsentrasie vlakke is nie te goed nie. Het jou verloor op die begin van die eerste punt…en die BOLD…genade…maak my oe seer man.
Cape Cobras require another 55 runs with 6 wickets and 30 balls remainin
Need 12 a over now. Not going to be easy.
SuperBul, I did drop about 6 places last week….Not happy about that to be honest!! 🙁
Will just pick with fingers crossed!! (Or holding thumbs as you say over there) !!
51 off 24 balls this is now EXCITING. Good stuff to watch.
So where is the superbru link from Rugby-Talk, it used to be at the top of the page when you went into Super 14?
Your much married President met our Queen today….
Does he only have one wife at the moment or does he sort of have a pack of them?
If he is running 5 at once, how would he decide who met the Queen?
Am I on dangerous ground here? Probably no more dangerous than Lion Baiting!! Heheheh 😉
50
Ja Willa dis seker so, maar baie , regtig baie Bul ondersteuners het niks van Kuun op haker gelike nie, daardie posisie is nie so crucial vir ons gewees nie, en duidelik het die coach se plan gewerk.
Ek persoonlik hoop nie dat Francios nou verlore gaan as n opvolger van FduP nie. Ek se jou ek hou niks van daai twee se gebruik in ander posisies nie.
Francios Hougaart kan die lang lyn van Bul skrummies voortsit, almal sterk en groot. Tommie du Plessis, Joost vd Westhuizen, F du Ptreez. Ek het ander gemis maar gaan kyk maar wie is ons grotes, almal groot skrumskakels. So ek hou kwaai duimvas dat Hougaart sy skills as skrummie sal behou.
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