The stage has been set for tomorrow’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship Round 10 highveld clash between the Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday. With both teams on a high from recent victories at the conclusion of last weekend’s European competition, Saturday’s Jukskei Derby promises to be a spectacle for both players and fans.

The Emirates Lions have made two changes to the team that ran out against Dragons last week which sees the return of Richard Kriel on the right wing in place of Tapiwa Mafura, and Ruan Delport in for the injured Darrien Landsberg. Changes on the bench sees WJ Steenkamp included to face his former employers in the most anticipated local derby on the URC roster.

Former Springbok centre and Lions assistant coach Jaque Fourie says while understanding the magnitude Saturday’s crunch match, he has encouraged his side to not make it bigger than what it already is.

“We still want to focus on what we want to do and it is important that we don’t make it bigger than it is. It is already a massive occasion, the Bulls against the Lions is always a big occasion. So we don’t want to blow it up too much.”

The physicality of both sides remains a talking point whenever these two giants meet, and Fourie is under no illusion as to what the Johannesburg franchise will be up against come 14:45 tomorrow afternoon.

“We know what to expect from them and what they will bring. They bring physicality with their pack of forwards and when they get go forward and get in behind you it becomes a tough day. So we know what we have to do to counter that,” he concluded.

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Emirates Lions Match 23

1.           Juan Schoeman

2.           PJ Botha

3.           Asenathi Ntlabakanye

4.           Etienne Oosthuizen

5.           Ruan Delport

6.           JC Pretorius

7.           Ruan Venter

8.           Francke Horn (c)

9.           Morne van den Berg

10.         Sam Francis

11.         Edwill van der Merwe

12.         Rynhardt Jonker

13.         Henco van Wyk

14.         Richard Kriel

15.         Quan Horn

Replacements

16.         Jaco Visagie

17.         SJ Kotze

18.         RF Schoeman

19.         Raynard Roets

20.         WJ Steenkamp

21.         Nico Steyn

22.         Gianni Lombard

23.         Manuel Rass