Cape Town - Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann has named his team for Friday’s Currie Cup clash against the Blue Bulls in Pretoria.
The Lions welcome back Springbok Sevens star Kwagga Smith, who starts at No 6 flank, having returned to the team after winning bronze with the Blitzboks at the Rio Olympics.
Centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg, one of the stars of the Lions’ Super Rugby campaign, also gets his first start of this year’s Currie Cup Premier Division.
Also back as part of the rotation of the team are prop Jacques van Rooyen, lock Lourens Erasmus and wing Courtnall Skosan.
Lock Andries Ferreira and fullback Sylvan Mahuza failed fitness tests and will not take part in proceedings this weekend.
The Lions starting line-up shows eleven changes to the one that beat Boland 60-12 at Ellis Park last weekend, while the whole bench is changed.
Friday’s clash at Loftus Versfeld is scheduled for 19:00.
Teams:
Blue Bulls
15 Duncan Matthews, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Arno Botha (c), 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Substitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Martin Dreyer, 18 Nic de Jager, 19 Roelof Smit, 20 Andre Warner, 21 Joshua Stander, 22 Ulrich Beyers.
Golden Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronje (captain), 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Lourens Erasmus, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Jacques van Roooyen, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Dylan Smith
Substitutes: 16 Armand ‘Akker’ van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Victor Sekekete, 19 Fabian Booysen, Dillon Smit, 21 Jaco van der Walt, 22 Jacques Nel