Bees gets his first Lions run
Jacobus Roux will get his first run for his new team, the Golden Lions, when they take on the Free State Cheetahs on Friday.
The Currie Cup Round Six match in Bloemfontein will be Roux's first appearance for the Johannesburg-based team since he joined them on a match-by-match contract at the start of the season.
Roux, better known as 'Bees', hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in August 2010 – when he was arrested in connection with the death of a South African police officer in Pretoria.
Roux was given a five-year suspended jail sentence in 2011 over the beating to death of Tshwane metro police officer Johannes Mogale the year before.
Now, after a two-year absence that also saw him play in France, he will finally make his first appearance in a competitive match in South Africa.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann named Roux at tighthead prop in a completely overhauled from row that will see Springbok CJ van der Linde start at loosehead and Willie Wepener at hooker.
Van der Linde replaces Jacques van Rooyen, who drops to the bench, Wepener comes in or Robbie Coetzee (also relegated o the replacements) and Roux replaces Ruan Dreyer.
The final change is among the loose forwards, where Warwick Tecklenberg is promoted from the bench in place of Jaco Kriel, who also finds a spot among the replacements.
There are no changes to the Lions backline.
Golden Lions: 15 Marnitz Boshoff, 14 Andries Coetzee, 13 Robert De Bruyn, 12 Dylan Des Fountain, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Derick Minnie (captain), 6 Warwick Tecklenberg, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Jacobus Roux, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 CJ van der Linde.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Jacques v Rooyen, 18 Hugo Kloppers, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Deon Helberg, 22 Ruhan Nel.
Date: Friday, September 13
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Lusanda Jam, Sakkie Meyer
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee