'Injured' Lions limp into Europe
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has named a 29-man touring squad for his team's upcoming fixtures in the United Rugby Championship and Challenge Cup.
The Johannesburg-based team faces Muster on Friday, January 6, in the URC, followed by return legs against Stade Francais and Dragons in consecutive weeks in the Challenge Cup competition.
The four-week tour wraps up with a URC clash against the Irish province Connacht at the Sportsground in Galway on January 28.
The team will travel without a number of key players, who were ruled out through injury.
This includes seasoned props Sithembiso Sithole and Ruan Dreyer, lock Reinhard Nothnagel, No.8 Francke Horn, scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba and wing Sibahle Maxwane.
Veteran Springbok Jacobus Kriel has been included in the tour squad, after missing the loss to the Stormers this past weekend, as has Sevens star Johannes Pretorius.
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"There's still a tremendous amount of belief within the squad in terms of where we are currently in the process," Van Rooyen said.
"We know we need to be more consistent on attack and defence especially.
"We are under no illusion that it's going be a tough tour.
"We like touring, says van Rooyen.
"We spend a lot of time together in Johannesburg, but time together on tour is just different.
"Going away together for four weeks on tour is a great opportunity for us to pull together, get consistency in our preparations and roll with the punches," he concluded.
Lions tour squad
Forwards: Ruan Smith, Jean-Pierre Smith, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Morgan Naudé, Pieter Botha, Michael van Vuuren, Rynhardt Rijnsburger, Willem Alberts, Emmanuel Tshituka, Emile van Heerden, Darrian Landsberg, Ruan Venter, Jarod Cairns, Sibusiso Sangweni, Jacobus Kriel, Ruhan Straeuli, Johannes Pretorius.
Backs: Morné van den Berg, Andre Warner, Jordan Hendrikse, Gianni Lombard, Marius Louw, Manuel Rass, Henco van Wyk, Rynhardt Jonker, Edwill van der Merwe, Stean Pienaar, Quan Horn, Andries Coetzee.