Lions v Reds, Saturday 18th March, Johannesburg, KO 17:15 (South African time)
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant Referees: Jamie Nutbrown, Stuart Berry
TMO: Willie Vos
Weather Forecast - Johannesburg
Lions:
Round 3 saw the Lions beaten for the first time this season, losing 36-24 to Los Jaguares in Buenos Aires. They were under strength last week and now return to Johannesburg where their only game so far delivered a 55-36 victory over the Waratahs with the Lions scoring eight tries to five. The Lions had started with a narrow win over the Cheetahs in Bloem and right now they have nine points, the same total as Jaguares and the Sharks in Africa Conference 2.
Reds:
The Reds contrived to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at home to the Crusaders last week. They led 20-7 at half time against the Saders and were still eight points to the good deep inside the final ten minutes before the Crusaders scored a try which was converted and then a penalty to take the spoils 22-20. The Reds only away fixture so far ended in a 26-19 defeat at the Force, a game they were favourites to win. They have already beaten South African opposition this season, edging out the Sharks 28-26 in Brisbane in Round 1. The Reds have won just one and lost nine of their last ten visits to South Africa, the victory coming 18-17 at the Cheetahs in 2015.
Team News
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Madosh Tambwe/Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Substitutes: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith/Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Harold Vorster
Reds: tba
Recent Head to Head (any venue)
2015 Brisbane Reds 17–18 Lions (Tries 2-2 )
2014 Johannesburg Lions 23-20 Reds (Tries 2-2)
2012 Brisbane Reds 34–20 Lions (Tries 4-2 )
2011 Johannesburg Lions 25-30 Reds (Tries 2-3)
2010 Johannesburg Lions 26-41 Reds (Tries 4-6)
Betting Angle
The Lions were under strength for last weeks visit to Buenos Aires but they were excellent against the Waratahs in their only home fixture to date and I can see the Reds fading in the second half. The line on some books is 13.5 points so the best current minus of 10.5 looks the value to me.
