Lions have a new captain
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions will have a new captain when they face the Bulls in a Super Rugby pre-season fixture at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Sylvian Mahuza will captain a young Lions side in the first pre-season friendly of 2019.
Mahuza is the most experienced player in the squad that will travel to Pretoria – with 31 Super Rugby caps under his belt.
The bulk of the starting XV is made up of Under-20 players from last year.
Also in the starting XV is former Blue Bulls hooker Jan-Henning Champher, who moved across the Jukskei in the off-season.
Another recent recruit from Pretoria is prop Frans van Wyk, who is on an extended replacements bench.
Lions: 15 Sylvian Mahuza (captain), 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Tyrone Green, 11 Wandisile Simelane, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Morné van der Berg, 8 Darrien-Lane Landsberg, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 MJ Pelser, 5 Rhyno Herbst, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Jan-Henning Champher, 1 Nathan McBeth.
Replacements – from:$ Pieter Jansen, Danie Minnie, Frans van Wyk, PJ Steenkamp, Roelof Smith, James Venter, Jo-Hanko de Villiers, Dian Schoonees, Bradley Thain, Eddie Fouche, Louritz van der Schyff, Jan-Louis la Grange, Stean Pienaar, Jean-Luc Cilliers.
Date: Saturday, January 26
Venue: Loftus Versfeld B, Pretoria
Kick-off: 15.00 (13,00 GMT)
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
