Kriel leads Lions at Loftus

Johannesburg - Jaco Kriel is back to lead the Golden Lions as they prepare to face the Blue Bulls in a Currie Cup clash at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday (19:00 kick-off).

With Kriel back for his 39th Currie Cup match for the Lions, Kwagga Smith drops to the bench.

Warren Whiteley, who recently re-joined the Lions after failing to make the final Springbok Rugby World Cup squad, is still sidelined with a calf strain.

Lock Martin Muller also returns from injury in place of MB Lusaseni, while Muller’s lock partner, Franco Mostert, is also back.

Ross Cronje and his Springbok halfback partner, Marnitz Boshoff, also make a welcome return.

Cronje replaces Lohan Jacobs, while Boshoff runs out in the place of Jaco van der Walt, who moves to the bench.

In other changes, Robbie Coetzee returns to the fray at hooker in a rotational move which sees Malcolm Marx take up the No 16 jersey, with Ruan Dreyer at tighthead prop.

Courtnall Skosan comes in for the injured Anthony Volmink at wing in the only other change to the starting line-up.

Teams:

Blue Bulls:

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Lappies Labuschagne (captain), 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 RG Snyman, 19 Deon Stegmann, 20 Ivan van Zyl, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 Burger Odendaal

Golden Lions:

15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Stokkies Hanekom, 12. Howard Mnisi, 11. Courtnall Skosan, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Fabian Booysen, 7. Stephan de Witt, 6. Jaco Kriel (captain), 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Martin Muller, 3. Ruan Dreyer, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Jacques van Rooyen

Substitutes: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Julian Redelinghuys, 18. MB Lusaseni, 19. Kwagga Smith, 20. Jaco van der Walt, 21. Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 22. Sampie Mastriet