Lions Super rugby head coach Swys de Bruin has given a number of his junior players an opprtunity to play against the Jaguares in Johannesburg this weekend.
Players like Wandisile Simelane, a product of Lions rugby since his Under 13 years and SA Rugby Junior Springbok Player of the Year in 2018 and who is playing out of Soweto, Ruan Vermaak, a former Monument Hoerskool pupil, Vincent Tshituka (Northcliff High School) and on the bench Nathan McBeth, James Venter and Tyrone Green are all getting an opportunity.
In the changes for this week Simelane will partner with Franco Naude in midfield, Sylvian Mahuza comes in at wing, Ross Cronje at scrumhalf, Kwagga Smith moves to number eight with Vincent Tshituka slotting in at seven while Vermaak will form the lock combination with Rhyno Herbst.
New faces on the bench include Nathan McBeth, also a former Monnas schoolboy, James Venter and Tyrone Green.
Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Franco Naude, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Rhyno Herbst, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Malcom Marx (captain), 1 Dylan Smith
Replacements: 16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Stephan Lewies, 20 James Venter, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Harold Vorster, 23 Gianni Lombard/Tyrone Green
