Super Rugby 2020 fixtures: Waratahs vs Lions – live score, result, prediction

The Waratahs host the Lions at the Bankwest Stadium with both teams coming off the back of a bye.

It hasn’t been the greatest of seasons for either side. The Lions have picked up a solitary win from three games and the Tahs have lost three on the bounce.

The Lions lost 33-30 on home soil against the Stormers in their last game with a late Ruhan Nel try snatching the game, whereas the Waratahs were abysmal in their 24-10 derby defeat to the Rebels.

New South Wales Rugby has mixed things up off the field, bringing in Paul Doorn as the new CEO. However, Rob Penney’s men urgently need to find a winning formula on the field of play or it will all count for nothing.

The Lions will be desperate to capitalise on the Waratahs’ woes as they look to bounce back from their heartbreaking loss to the Stormers.

“It was courageous how the guys fought back. I’m proud of them and the effort. But that’s rugby and the small margin‚ which is the difference between winning and losing,” Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen said after the game, according to SowetanLIVE.

“That said‚ we made a few errors and we have lots of work to do before our next game.”

Prediction: Waratahs by three.

Kick-off time: 28 February, 10:15

Team news: Carlu Sadie and Jan-Henning Campher take the places of Jannie du Plessis and Pieter Jansen at tighthead prop and hooker respectively for the Lions.

Andre Warner returns at scrumhalf with Morne van den Berg dropping to the bench. Jamba Ulengo replaces Courtnall Skosan in a rotational switch.

The Lions have opted for a six-two split on the bench as they prepare for what Ivan van Rooyen anticipates will be a bruising physical battle.

Lions XV: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Tyrone Green, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Elton Jantjies (c), 9 Andre Warner, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jan-Hemming Campher, 1 Dylan Smith

Lions bench: 16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Wandisile Simelane

Waratahs XV: 1 Angus Bell, 2 Robbie Abel, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 4 Tom Staniforth, 5 Rob Simmons (c), 6 Lachie Swinton, 7 Michael Hooper, 8 Jack Dempsey, 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Will Harrison, 11 Jack Maddocks, 12 Karmichael Hunt, 13 Alex Newsome, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 15 Kurtley Beale

Waratahs bench: 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Tom Robertson, 18 Tetera Daulkner, 19 Jed Holloway, 20 Ryan McCauley, 21 Mitch Short, 22 Lalakai Foketi, 23 James Ramm

Super Rugby 2020 live score and result: Waratahs vs Lions

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