Lions change it up for Cheetahs
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions made three changes to their starting line-up for the Currie Cup match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Veteran World Cup-winning Springbok Jannie du Plessis, Dan Kriel and André Warner are all in the run-on XV.
Kriel replaces an injured Burger Odendaal, who is struggling with a strained right calf.
The other changes are based on rotation.
Four players from the starting line-up were in action against the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup Final in Bloemfontein last year.
They are Dylan Smith, Marvin Orie, Wandisile Simelane and Stean Pienaar.
Jan-Henning Campher, Wilhelm van der Sluys and Len Massyn were on the bench on that day.
Manuel Rass moves onto the bench for this encounter.
Wiehahn Herbst and Sibahle Maxwane will travel with as back-up.
The Lions travel to Bloemfontein on Thursday afternoon and will have their captains run in the city of roses on Friday.
Lions: 15 Tiaan Swanepoel, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies (captain), 9 André Warner, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Willem Alberts, 4 Marvin Orie, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sithembiso Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Reinhard Nothnagel, 20 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 21 Morne van den Berg, 22 Manuel Rass, 23 Roelof Smit.
Date: Saturday, December 16
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 16.30 (14.30 GMT)
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs and Griffon Colby
TMO: Jaco Peyper
