Lions’ Bok hopefuls get chance to impress against Cardiff

A number of Lions players will be going all out to again impress Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus ahead of the international season.

Several players have been earmarked to possibly play for the Boks in the season opening Test against Wales at the end of next month, and possibly also against Portugal at the end of July, and time is running out for them to get right ticks behind their names.

Bok hopefuls

There are only three rounds of the United Rugby Championship remaining before the end of the regular season so for the likes of Quan Horn, who’ll play his 50th international match for the Lions against Cardiff at Ellis Park on Saturday, Morne van den Berg, Sanele Nohamba, Jordan Hendrikse and possibly also Francke Horn and Asenathi Ntlabakanye it’s time to impress.

At the same time, the Lions will be going all out to beat the men from Wales, to keep alive their chances of finishing in the top eight at the end of the regular season for a place in the playoffs.

The Lions are currently 11th on 39 points, five points off the eighth-placed team, Benetton, on 45. It’s now a must-win scenario for the Lions, and that will be the case until the end of the season. Any defeat now and it’ll be all over for the men from Joburg.

Cardiff are only one place worse off than the Lions, down in 12th place on the log, but they have only accumulated 25 points from three wins, while the Lions have seven wins so far.

Team news

In team news this week, Horn is back after missing the last match against Munster, while Ntalabakanye is also back at tighthead with Ruan Dreyer at loosehead.

In new-look backrow, Ruan Venter plays alongside JC Pretorius and Horn, with Emmanuel Tshituka providing impact from the bench.

Kick-off at Ellis Park is at 6.15pm.

Lions: Quan Horn, Richard Kriel, Erich Cronje, Marius Louw (capt), Edwill van der Merwe, Sanele Nohamba, Morne van den Berg, Francke Horn, Ruan Venter, JC Pretorius, Ruan Delport, Willem Alberts, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, Ruan Dreyer. Bench: Jaco Visagie, JP Smith, Conraad van Vuren, Reinhard Nothnagel, Emmanuel Tshituka, Hanru Sirgel, Jordan Hendrikse, Gianni Lombard