Johannesburg – Former Bulls star Marvin Orie has been granted an opportunity to stake a claim for a starting jersey when the Lions wrap up their Super Rugby warm-up schedule with a match against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.
Orie will wear the No 5 jersey with Springbok Franco Mostert next to him in the middle row in a team that is a good blend of youth and experience.
It will be the Lions’ final hit out before they kick off their Super Rugby campaign against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in just over two weeks’ time.
The Gauteng side previously played against the Bulls and an invitation XV, but this will be their biggest test by some margin.
Joining newcomer Orie in the starting team is wing Madosh Tambwe, while prop Hencus van Wyk will also play his first game for the Lions.
The rest of the team has a familiar look about it, even though regular captain Warren Whiteley will miss out as he has his wisdom teeth removed during the week and hasn’t recovered to take on the Capetonians. In his absence Elton Jantjies will captain the side.
His regular halfback partner Faf de Klerk will also slot into his familiar position, while Rohan Janse van Rensburg teams up with Howard Mnisi in the centres.
As expected Ruan Dreyer looks set to fill the big shoes of Julian Redelinghuys at tighthead prop, while Malcolm Marx will be hoping to make an impact at hooker from the off. The same goes for Ruan Ackermann, who’s the favourite to take over at blindside flank from the now retired Warwick Tecklenburg.
Johan Ackermann, the side’s head coach, has picked a 29-man squad for the outing so he’ll no doubt want to have a look at several players during the outing, including Andries Ferreira, Lourens Erasmus, Jaco Kriel, Harold Vorster and Sylvian Mahuza in the second half.
Lions team:
Jaco van der Walt, Madosh Tambwe, Howard Mnisi, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Courtnal Skosan, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Fabian Booysen, Ruan Ackermann, Cyle Brink, Marvin Orie, Franco Mostert, Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Jacques van Rooyen. Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Corne Fourie, Hencus van Wyk, Andries Ferreira, Lourens Erasmus, Robert Kruger, Jaco Kriel, Victor Sekekete, Dillon Smit, Andries Coetzee, Harold Vorster, Anthony Volmink, Jacques Nel, Sylvian Mahuza