Johannesburg - Springbok Jaco Kriel will play his last professional game of rugby when the Emirates Lions face Zebre in their final United Rugby Championship encounter of the season.
The 33-year-old Kriel is set to hang up his boots after the match, ending an illustrious career that achieved much, but arguably never reached its full potential. Nonetheless, Kriel’s career will be long remembered at the union – finishing his playing days at the same team where it all started 15 years ago.
After completing their concussion protocols, both Ruan Venter and Rabz Maxwane will run onto the field with Kriel in the starting XV. Venter and Maxwane did not play in the Leinster defeat after both copped nasty blows to the head in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final against Glasgow Warriors a week earlier.
After a harsh three week ban for a red card sanction, Emmanuel Tshituka also returns to the matchday 23, and will finish off an impressive season off the bench as cover for Kriel, Venter and Francke Horn. An injury to the resilient JP Smith, who has been a constant force in the team this season, sees prop Morgan Naude selected on the bench.
Your Emirates Lions Match 23 to do duty in their final Vodacom United Rugby Championship outing.
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) April 21, 2023
📅: Sat, 22 Apr
⏰: 13:00
🆚: Zebre Parma
🏟️: Loftus Versfeld
🎟: https://t.co/xU8XDndZFb#LionsPride🦁@vodacom | #URC | #UnitedWeRise pic.twitter.com/VKyT7w3y6W
Zebre received a lesson in rugby when they were demolished by the Bulls in their previous match, and while the Lions will want to emulate a similar result, the Italian franchise will be more settled on the Highveld, more accustomed to conditions, and will endeavour to take advantage of a Lions team that has only pride to play for.
“We expect them (Zebre Parma) to come out guns blazing after their defeat against the Bulls as I’m sure they, as we do, want to finish the campaign on a high,” said Lions assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher earlier this week.
“From our point of view, we’ve prepared well this week and placed quite a bit of emphasis on improvement ahead of Saturday. That’s the motivation for us; to finish on a high while improving from last week’s performance.”
The match starts at 1pm at Loftus Versveld as part of a URC double-header which will also feature the Bulls hosting Leinster at 4pm. Afterwards, the Bulls and Lions face off in the Currie Cup at 6.30p.
Emirates Lions Starting XV: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Marius Louw (capt), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha1 Rhynardt Rijnsburger
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Morgan Naude, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Morne van den Berg, 22 Rynhardt Jonker, 23 Andries Coetzee
@FreemanZAR