Lions get Super Rugby reinforcements
The Lions host the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Coming off their humiliating 22-54 loss to the Blue Bulls last Saturday, the Lions will look to get their campaign back on track – having had a bye in midweek, when all the other teams were in action.
Corne Fourie, Johannes Jonker, Cyle Brink, Sylvian Mahuza and Rohan Janse Van Rensburg all featured off the bench when the Lions lost 17-25 to the Crusaders in the Super Rugby Final last week.
Mahuza (fullback), Janse van Rensburg (centre), Volmink (wing), Brink (flank) and Fourie (prop) will all start against the Sharks.
Seven of the Lions in last week's starting XV are on Springbok duty.
Loose forward Ruan Ackermann and scrumhalf Francois de Klerk have departed for club duty in England, while flank Albertus Smith is serving a four-week ban for an air tackle in the Final.
The rest of the players who featured in the Final are being 'rested'.
Golden Lions: 15 Sylvian Mahuza, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Antony Volmink, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Ryan Kankowski (captain), 7 Fabian Booysen, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Robert Kruger, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Corne Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Sithembiso Sithole, 18 Bobby de Wee, 19 Hacjivah Dayimani, 20 Marco Janse van Vuuren, 21 Siya Masuku, 22 Aphiwe Dyantyi.
Date: Saturday, August 12
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 19.30 (17.30 GMT)
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: Jaco Pretorius, Eduan Nel
TMO: Willie Vos
