Johannesburg - Golden Lions interim coach Johan Ackermann has made three changes to his side for their Absa Currie Cup clash against Western Province at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday. Kick-off is at 17:05.
Hooker Bandise Maku makes his return after missing the entire Super Rugby season due to a pectoral muscle injury. He replaces Callie Visagie, who is nursing a few bruised ribs.
Flyhalf Elton Jantjies returns to the side after he was released from the Springbok squad to tour Argentina and Butch James moves to centre, replacing Waylon Murray who sustained a knee injury last weekend against the Sharks.
On the bench, Martin Bezuidenhout replaces Francois du Toit as back-up hooker, while Deon Helberg will take the place of Guy Cronje as utility back.
Teams:
Lions:
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Butch James, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Joshua Strauss, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain)
Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Willie Britz, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Deon Helberg, 22 Ruan Combrinck
Western Province:
15. Gio Aplon, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Juan de Jongh (vice-captain), 12. Marcel Brache, 11. Ederies Arendse, 10. Demetri Catrakilis, 9. Louis Schreuder, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Tyrone Holmes, 6. Siya Kolisi, 5. De Kock Steenkamp, 4. Don Armand, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Deon Fourie (captain), 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 JP du Plessis, 22 Kurt Coleman