Morne van den Berg makes a welcomed return for the Lions as he slots straight back in at scrumhalf for the Glasgow Warriors encounter.
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The Lions have been boosted by the return of key players from injury for their home encounter with the Glasgow Warriors on Saturday at 4pm.
Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg slots straight back in at scrumhalf, fellow Bok Asenathi Ntlabakanye is in at tighthead prop after missing out against the Dragons due to a hearing for an alleged doping violation, and former Blitzbok JC Pretorius will play off the bench after a long period on the sidelines.
The Lions go into the match in confident form, currently enjoying a four‑match winning streak in what has been a stellar run for the men in red. The Lions have also had the upper hand over the Scots in their last two clashes at Ellis Park, but with just four rounds remaining in the regular season, the stakes are high.
In another change to the team, Richard Kriel starts at inside centre after Bronson Mills was ruled out through injury. Kriel, usually operating on the wing, brings an element of intrigue and skill to the backline as the Lions look to maintain momentum against one of the competition’s most exciting attacking sides.
The return of flanker Pretorius is timely because his prowess at the breakdown will be vital in slowing down the Warriors, who love fast ball for their attacking game.
Known for his ball-snatching exploits, Pretorius recently extended his contract with the Lions.
Captain Francke Horn says the group is not looking too far ahead in terms of playoffs, with the focus firmly fixed on Franco Smith’s Glasgow.
“We’ve put ourselves in this good position, and we’re all looking forward to the next two matches at home as it could put us exactly where we want to be when the playoffs come around.”
The Lions host Connacht next week at Ellis Park.
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Erich Cronje, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Siba Mahashe, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Edward Davids, 18 Sebastian Lombard, 19 Reinhard Nothnagel, 20 Batho Hlekani, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Nico Steyn, Kelly Mpeku