Lions hold onto star loosie
TRANSFER NEWS: Loose forward JC Pretorius has confirmed his next move as he signed a new deal with the Lions, the Gauteng franchise confirmed.
The announcement, made on Wednesday, comes as a major boost for the team, who are set to welcome back the dynamic forward after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Pretorius, a former Blitzbok standout, has been out of action for several months following a knee injury sustained during the Lions’ 29-18 victory over Scarlets in Round Four of the United Rugby Championship.
However, there is renewed optimism around his return. The flank was spotted participating in full training drills with the first team during Tuesday’s session, signalling that his comeback is imminent.
All signs point to the 28-year-old potentially featuring this weekend when the Lions take on Glasgow Warriors at Ellis Park – a significant moment in both his recovery and the team’s campaign.
On Tuesday Lions assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher confirmed that Pretorius has been match-ready for some time.
“He can’t wait to get going,” said Loubscher.
“He was available for the Dragons game. We will see what is needed on the day regarding Pretorius’ selection. As coaches, it is a discussion between us. It is good to have him back.
“He is ready to go; he is ready to go.”
Lions were also given a massive boost this week with the news that two of their Springboks – scrumhalf Morne van den Berg and prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, have been cleared for their URC match against leaders Glasgow Warriors on Saturday.
The Lions will name their starting line-up on Friday.
