DEBUT FOR VAN HEERDEN AS LIONS FACE MUNSTER - Lions rugby

DEBUT FOR VAN HEERDEN AS LIONS FACE MUNSTER

Emile van Heerden will make his debut this Friday at Musgrave Park as the Emirates Lions take on Irish outfit Munster in Round 12 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (VURC). The exciting young recruit takes his place in the number 7 jumper alongside Jarod Cairns and Emmanuel Tshituka.

DEBUT FOR VAN HEERDEN AS LIONS FACE MUNSTER

Emile van Heerden will make his debut this Friday at Musgrave Park as the Emirates Lions take on Irish outfit Munster in Round 12 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (VURC). The exciting young recruit takes his place in the number 7 jumper alongside Jarod Cairns and Emmanuel Tshituka.

 

Friday’s match is the Johannesburg’s first fixture of a 4-week tour of Europe which comprises of two EPCR Challenge Cup games with their final VURC match taking place on 28 January against Connacht.

 

The Marius Louw-led side will look to start the tour off on a winning note, hoping to replicate similar performances which saw them achieve 3 out of 3 wins overseas at the start of the 2022/23 season.

 

Emirates Lions Scrum Coach Julian Redelinghuys:

 

“Friday will be a good test for our guys against Munster on tour. The Munster pack has been in good form recently, so Friday will be an exciting challenge for this team especially the guys who’ll be getting an opportunity to feature.”

 

“We all know you don’t grow when it’s easy, you grow when it’s tough- and Friday will be tough especially in these conditions away from home.”

 

“Playing at Musgrave Park will be new for us as none of our current squad members have played there. In saying that, we tend to strive under the new and unknown so this will certainly be one of those.”

 

Elsewhere, hooker Michael van Vuuren gets his chance off the bench coupled with the experience of Willem Alberts and Andre Warner.

 

Kick-off is at 21:35 (SA time)

 

 

Emirates Lions

 

  1. JP Smith
  2. PJ Botha
  3. Asenathi Ntlabakanye
  4. Ruan Venter
  5. Darrien Landsberg
  6. Jarod Cairns
  7. Emile van Heerden
  8. Emmanuel Tshituka
  9. Morne van den Berg
  10. Jordan Hendrikse
  11. Edwill van der Merwe
  12. Marius Louw (c)
  13. Henco van Wyk
  14. Stean Pienaar
  15. Quan Horn

 

Replacements

  1. Michael van Vuuren
  2. Morgan Naude
  3. Ruan Smith
  4. Willem Alberts
  5. Sibusiso Sangweni
  6. Andre Warner
  7. Gianni Lombard
  8. Manuel Rass