Lions hand No 15 jersey to Simelane

The Lions have made an intriguing decision to play exciting midfielder Wandisile Simelane at fullback in their Currie Cup match against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday.

Simelane has played all his rugby so far at centre and most recently also featured for the SA A side in that position against the Bulls in a warm-up match ahead of the British and Irish Lions series.

The Lions have struggled to fill the fullback position ever since Andries Coetzee left the team two years ago.

Tiaan Swanepoel has been played there, as well as EW Viljoen, and also Divan Rossouw, but no one has managed to hold down their place.

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Also back for the Lions this week are Vincent Tshituka, Dan Kriel and Courtnall Skosan, while former Bulls and Springbok tourist, Roelof Smit, also gets a rare chance against his former team.

Kriel will play next to Manny Rass in the centres and they’ll go head to head with the former Lions duo of Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe.

The Lions go into the game on the back of a defeat by Griquas, while they also lost to the British and Irish Lions before that.

Sunday’s match kicks off at 3.15pm.

Lions: Wandisile Simelane; Rabz Maxwane, Manuel Rass, Dan Kriel, Courtnall Skosan; Jordan Hendrikse, Andre Warner; Francke Horn (capt), Vincent Tshituka, Roelof Smit, FP Pelser, Ruben Schoeman, Carlu Sadie, PJ Botha, Ruan Dreyer. Bench: Jaco Visagie, Sti Sithole, Jannie du Plessis, Reinhard Nothnagel, Ruhan Straeuli, Sibusiso Sangweni, Fred Zeilinga, Stean Pienaar