Port Elizabeth - EP Kings coach Barend Pieterse has made six changes to his matchday 22 for their Currie Cup clash against the Golden Lions in an effort to try and lift the team off the bottom of the Currie Cup standings.
Justin Forwood will start at loosehead prop, which allows for Pieter Stemmet to return to the tighthead position. At lock, Dylan Pieterse is not available for selection due to illness. He will be replaced by either David Antonites or Tazz Fuzani, both of whom are returning from injury - Antonites from a hand injury and Fuzani from a sore knee.
The team's medical staff will make a call on who will start against the defending Currie Cup champions later in the week. The final change to the pack is at flank, where Luke van der Smit will start in the No 6-jersey, with Vincent Jobo moving to the bench.
Two changes were made to the backline which started against the Sharks.
Siviwe Soyizwapi was not available for selection due to a slight concussion and has been replaced by Alcino Izaacs, who is promoted from the bench.
At fullback, Namibian international Johann Tromp returns to the starting team, which means Lungelo Gosa will start the match on the bench. Joining Jobo and Gosa on the bench are Cullon Collopy (hooker) and another Namibian international, JC Greyling (centre), who has recovered from an ankle injury which he sustained in the match against the Free State Cheetahs earlier this month. The rest of the bench remains unchanged in Vukile Sofisa, Etienne Oosthuizen and Vian van der Watt.
EP Kings team:15 Johan Tromp, 14 Alcino Izaacs, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Waylon Murray, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Ricky Schroeder (captain), 8 Christiaan de Bruin, 7 Brandon Brown, 6 Luke van der Smit, 5 Sebastian Ferreira, 4 David Antonites/Tazz Fuzani, 3 Pieter Stemmet, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Justin Forwood. Replacements: 16 Cullen Collopy, 17 Vukile Sofisa, 18 Etienne Oosthuizen, 19 Vince Jobo, 20 Vian van der Watt, 21 Lungelo Gosa, 22 Johan Greyling.
African News Agency (ANA)