Coach Ackermann’s son starts for Lions

Cape Town - Lions coach Johan Ackermann has announced his team to tackle the Cheetahs in a Super Rugby clash in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Among the backs, Lionel Mapoe is back at centre, while Andries Coetzee starts at fullback. As a result, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Jaco van der Walt move down to the bench.

Up front, Ruan Ackermann, the son of the coach, gets his first start in the place of Warwick Tecklenburg who will sit out a one-week suspension.

Dylan Smith also starts at loosehead prop in place of Jacques Van Rooyen, while Malcolm Marx starts at hooker in place of Robbie Coetzee.

Kick-off for Saturday night’s clash at Ellis Park is scheduled for 17:05.

Hoërskool Monument and HTS Louis Botha will be in action in the curtain raiser at 14:30.

Teams:

Lions

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnal 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 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx 1 Dylan Smith 

Substitutes: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg

Cheetahs 

15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter (captain), 12 William Small-Smith, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Neil Marais, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Maks van Dyk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Charles Marais

Substitutes: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Johan Coetzee, 19 Francois Uys, 20 Hilton Lobberts, 21 Boom Prinsloo, 22 Tian Meyer, 23 Fred Zeilinga