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Marais tweaks team for Lions clash

Three former Junior Springbok captains will combine as the Blue Bulls loose trio at Loftus Versfeld.

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Hanro Liebenberg (2015), Ruan Steenkamp (2013) and Arno Botha (2011) will pack behind a tight five that sees one change from last weekend's match against the Sharks.

Pierre Schoeman will start at loosehead in place of Lizo Gqoboka, while Liebenberg comes in for injured Jannes Kirsten.

Liebenberg started on the bench in the Durban defeat, but with Kirsten (AC joint) out, Botha moves to the side of the scrum and Liebenberg starts at No.8.

His place on the bench will be taken by Roelof Smit, who has also recovered from injury.

Blue Bulls: 15 Duncan Matthews, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Arno Botha (captain), 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Rudoph Snyman, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Pierre Schoeman.

Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Martin Dreyer, 18 Nic de Jager, 19 Roelof Smit, 20 Andre Warner, 21 Joshua Stander, 22 Ulrich Beyers.

Date: Friday, September 3

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)

Referee: Craig Joubert

Assistant referees: Francois Pretorius, Jaco Pretorius

TMO: Johan Greeff

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