Lions starting XV unchanged for Sharks

Cape Town - Lions coach Johan Ackermann has named his team for Saturday’s South African Super Rugby derby against the Sharks in Johannesburg.

Ackermann has named an unchanged starting team from the one which beat the Southern Kings 42-19 in Port Elizabeth last weekend.

The bench, however, will only be confirmed on Thursday with a few players bracketed, pending fitness tests.

Players not considered due to injury are flyhalf Jaco van der Walt, wing Ruan Combrinck, centre Howard Mnisi and prop Dylan Smith, while utility back Sylvian Mahuza is also unavailable following the death of his father.

Saturday’s clash at Ellis Park is scheduled for 17:15.

Teams:

Lions

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Harold Vorster, 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 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Sti Sithole/Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker/Hencus van Wyk, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Jacques Nel, 23 Dillon Smit/Lionel Mapoe

Sharks

TBA