Lions select rookie flyhalf against Stormers

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have selected two Springboks in Morne van den Berg and Edwill van der Merwe alongside rookie flyhalf Sam Francis for their United Rugby Championship clash against the Stormers in Cape Town.

Captain Maruis Louw will run out on the occasion of his 50th franchise match for the Johannesburg based outfit – with Ruan Delport replacing the injured Reinhardt Nothnagel at lock.

Morgan Naude makes his return off the bench after recovering from an arm niggle suffered in a Challenge Cup clash against the Ospreys.

Sanele Nohamba will provide cover for No.9 and No.10 in a six-two bench split in favour of the forwards.

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Lions: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Maruis Louw (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 WJ Steenkamp, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Morgan Naude, 18 Conrad van Vuuren, 19 Darrien Landsberg, 20 Izan Esterhuizen, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Manny Rass.

Date: Saturday, December 21
Venue: Cape Town Stadium, Green Point
Kick-off: 15.45 (13.45 GMT)
Referee: Christopher Allison (South Africa)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (South Africa), Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)