JOHANNESBURG – Lions boss Cash van Rooyen has made several changes to his team for Saturday’s all-important final round-robin Currie Cup match against Griquas in Kimberley.
New recruits Duncan Matthews – who’s joined the Lions from the Bulls – will start his first game at centre after playing off the bench last week, while wing Jamba Ulengo, who’s joined the Joburg team for the next two years, gets a place on the bench.
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Cyle Brink, who returned to action last week from the replacements bench following a wrist injury, will wear the No 7 on his back in Kimberley.
And fellow flank Marnus Schoeman is back in the starting team after he, too, played off the bench against the Sharks.
And, in the biggest boost to the side, Springbok lock Marvin Orie is back in the mix after being released by the national side this week.
The Lions go into the game on the back of two defeats, which has left them needing to win in Kimberley to guarantee a semi-final spot.
Griquas, though, are chasing a win themselves to secure first place in the points table, and guarantee themselves a place on home turf in the semi-finals, and possible final.
Saturday’s crunch game kicks off at 3pm.
Lions Team
Tyrone Green, Madosh Tambwe, Wandisile Simelane, Duncan Matthews, Stean Pienaar, Shaun Reynolds, Ross Cronjé (captain), Hacjivah Dayimani, Cyle Brink, Marnus Schoeman, Marvin Orie, Ruben Schoeman, Jacobie Adriaanse, Pieter Jansen, Sti Sithole.
Replacements: Jan-Henning Campher, Dylan Smith, Johannes Jonker, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Len Massyn, Dillon Smit, Jan-Louis la Grange, Jamba Ulengo.
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