Lions boosted by fit-again Willem Alberts

In a much-needed boost for the Lions, experienced lock Willem Alberts will return to the selection mix for this weekend’s Rainbow Cup SA clash against the Stormers at Ellis Park.

But while the Lions will be cheering the news of Alberts’ return, they also received the bad news that fellow lock Wilhelm van der Sluys has been ruled out of action for six months with a shoulder injury and will miss the rest of the campaign and best part of the season.

Alberts was due to captain the Lions in place of Elton Jantjies, who is in France, from the start of the competition but was ruled out with a calf injury which resulted in his missing both defeats against the Bulls at Loftus and the Sharks in Durban.

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The loss of Van der Sluys is a big blow as the Lions are already thin in the lock department.

With Marvin Orie now playing at the Stormers, there is little experience in the second row. Rookie Emmanuel Tshituka, younger brother of Vincent, is now set to become a more prominent figure on the bench with Ruben Schoeman and Reinhard Nothnagel moving forward as the first choice pairing.

In other injury news, the Lions reported that flank Jaco Kriel (ankle) and flyhalves Gianni Lombard and James Mollentze (both knee) are on track with their rehabilitation programmes.

Kriel is due back next month, and Lombard probably in August, but Mollentze will only return next year.