Cronje and Mnisi share Lions captaincy
Scrumhalf Ross Cronjé and centre Howard Mnisi will share the Golden Lions captaincy during their campaign this year – starting with a home match against the Pumas at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Cronje, who captained a Lions' second-string selection against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires, gets first cracked at the Curie Cup leadership role.
He will lead them out against the Pumas.
Despite having nine senior players are away on Springbok duty, one in Japan and another handful being rested, the entire starting XV for Saturday have Super Rugby experience.
They even have a Springbok, flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff, on the bench.
Boshoff will depart the Lions for Irish province Connacht at the end of the Currie Cup campaign.
Corne Fourie, Koch Marx, Sylvian Mahuza and Ruan Ackermann will make their Currie Cup debuts, while Victor Sekekete will also get his first taste of Currie Cup action should he come off the bench.
Lions: 15 Sylvian Mahuza, 14 Koch Marx, 13 Nicolaas Hanekom, 12 Howard Mnisi , 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Ross Cronjé (captain), 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Steph de Wit, 5 Lourens Erasmus, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Justin Ackerman, 18 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 19 Victor Sekekete, 20 Dillon Smit, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Jacques Nel.
Date: Saturday, August 13
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistant referees: Sindile Ngcese, Vusi Msibi
TMO: Johan Greeff
