Lions bring Horn back against Montpellier, save other players for Dragons and Bulls

The Lions have revealed fullback Quan Horn will make a return for the side this week while other players who are just about back from injury will be saved to rather play against Dragons and Bulls at home later in the month.

Twenty-three-year-old Horn, who has a solitary Springbok cap to his name, will feature with Kelly Mpeku who makes his debut tour for the Lions as they play against Challenge Cup pool 2 leaders Montpellier in France this Saturday (kick-off 7.30pm).

This while Ruan Venter, Kade Wolhuter, Morne Brandon and Franco Marais will only feature from the following week.

“There are no recurring injuries. Most guys will be ready for those two games [against Dragons and Bulls on 18 and 25 January],” Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys said.

“This is just part of the managing process.”

The former Springbok forward spoke to the media on Tuesday alongside current Springbok and Lions winger, Edwill van der Merwe.

They said they expected the round three Challenge Cup game against Montpellier to be difficult.

“We’ve done our analysis. Montpellier are quite physical with big forwards,” Van der Merwe said.

“They also play an expansive running game. So they’re a well-balanced side. This will be a challenge for us. It will be about getting back to winning ways.”

He said the Lions were not just going to France to match a side that sports the likes of Springboks Cobus Reinach and Jan Serfontein, but they were going to Montpellier to “dominate in every facet of the game”.

Lions work on their identity

Redelinghuys said following the Lions’ 29–10 loss to the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship on 21 December, much effort had been made to rediscover themselves.

“When we came back [to training] just after New Year’s Day, we didn’t focus on Montpellier at first,” the coach said.

“First we looked at us. We worked on getting back to our identity, to Lions ways. We set ourselves up for good performances, got back to the flow of things. It was only in the last few days that we looked at Montpellier.

Rabz Maxwane, Reinhard Nothnagel, Sibabalo Qoma and Henco van Wyk have not been considered for the next few weeks due to injury while Ruben Schoeman now starts serving his five-match suspension.