Minnie blow for Lions

 

Minnie has already undergone surgery for the knee injury.

 

It is a huge blow for coach Johan Ackermann who has had to announce a team with three changes for the clash against the Cheetahs in Johannesburg on Saturday.

 

In the forwards, Armand van der Merwe will start at hooker while Ruan Dreyer has been drafted in at tighthead prop.

 

The backline sees just one change with Courtnall Skosan starting at left wing having recovered from injury.

 

On the bench, Luvuyiso Lusaseni also moves into the match day side having recovered from his long-term injury. This is his first inclusion in the 2015 competition. 

 

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.

Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 20 Robert Kruger, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Howard Mnisi.