Lions' injured stars in a race against time
Harold Vorster, Ruan Combrinck, Martin Muller, Derick Minnie and Justin Ackerman are all still recovering from injuries and will be in a race against time to be fully fit for the start of the season.
Most of the player players are recovering from various knee injuries. Minnie has been out of action the longest after a serious knee injury in April last year.
Vorster missed most of the Currie Cup after going down in August with a knee injury. In that same month Ackerman suffering a fractured patella.
Combrinck picked up his knee injury in September, while Muller suffered a stress fracture in his left leg in October.
According to the Lions each players’ rehabilitation and recovery is on schedule, but no exact time was given for when they will be able to to start playing..
Meanwhile, the Johannesburg-based franchise scheduled four warm-up matches before their first Super Rugby match against the Sunwolves.
The Lions will take on Argentinian side the Jaguares in a friendly on February 19 in Johannesburg before the final squad warms up with matches against the Leopards, Falcons and Bulls.
Lions Warm-up matches (venues TBC):
February 6: v Leopards and Falcons
February 13: v Bulls
February 19: v Jaguares
