Coach Dwayne Peel wants the Scarlets to “bring the same physicality and intensity” to Saturday’s Ellis Park clash as they did last season.
The Welsh club claimed a 32-19 win in Joburg in May, their first Vodacom URC victory on South African soil.
Both teams are desperate for a result on Saturday. The Scarlets are searching for their first win of the season after home defeats to Munster and the Stormers – the latter a 34-0 loss – while the Lions return home after three defeats on tour.
“The Lions are always a difficult proposition at home,” said Peel. “You’re playing at altitude and it’s a place where they look to run teams off their feet. They’re a physical, athletic team, so we’ll have to manage that.
“Winning here last season was big for us, and a lot of the boys here were part of that squad. We have to bring the same physicality and intensity again. Ellis Park is one of the great rugby stadiums, always a great place to play.
“We’ve been disappointed with the results so far, but we’re only two games in – it’s a long season and things can change quickly in rugby.”
TEAM: Steyn starts for under-pressure Lions
Peel has made seven changes to the team that lost to the Stormers, with on-loan locks Harvey Cuckson and Alex Groves handed debuts due to a second-row injury crisis.
Ioan Nicholas starts at fullback, with Blair Murray shifting to the wing. Macs Page gets his first start of the season at outside centre next to captain Johnny Williams, while Sam Costelow and Archie Hughes combine at halfback.
In the pack, Archer Holz starts at tighthead alongside Alec Hepburn and Springbok hooker Marnus van der Merwe, with Cuckson and Groves in the second row and the back row unchanged.
URC ROUND 4: Keo’s accumulator
SCARLETS – 15 Ioan Nicholas, 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Macs Page, 12 Johnny Williams (c), 11 Blair Murray, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Archie Hughes, 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Jarrod Taylor, 5 Alex Groves, 4 Harvey Cuckson, 3 Archer Holz, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Alec Hepburn.
Bench: 16 Kirby Myhill, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Dan Gemine, 20 Ben Williams, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Joe Hawkins, 23 Joe Roberts.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The post Scarlets eye Ellis Park repeat appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Coach Dwayne Peel wants the Scarlets to “bring the same physicality and intensity” to Saturday’s Ellis Park clash as they did last season.
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