Whiteley hole shown again as Lions make seven changes

The gaping hole Warren Whiteley leaves in the Lions team was yet again emphasised on Friday after coach Swys de Bruin announced the match 23 to take on the Crusaders at Ellis Park on Sunday.

With the current Springbok captain still absent due to a knee injury, De Bruin has had to assemble his third different loose trio since his influential leader was forced on the sideline.

This week, it’s 21-year-old Hacjivah Dayimani who’ll have to front up at No 8 against the defending champions.

He features in a combination that sees Kwagga Smith return to openside flank and Cyle Brink to his preferred No 7 role.

Dayimani’s promotion illustrates two things.

Firstly, it showcases that the Lions do have a fair amount of potential riches at their disposal at flank.

However, secondly, the merry-go-round in terms of selection in that position – Smith, Brink, Dayimani, Len Massyn and Robert Kruger have all been used in the past few weeks – suggests that De Bruin has struggled to find consistent enough performers in Whiteley’s absence.

Ross Cronje is still not available, meaning Dillon Smit gains a start ahead of Marco Jansen van Vuren, who clearly paid a price from the defeat at the hands of the Jaguares.

Burly Rohan Janse van Rensburg has also been left out of the match squad entirely, an eyebrow-raising move given his ability to break tackles and provide a spark.

The Lions will hope Howard Mnisi, a strapping lad himself, can provide the same type of robustness.

Lions: Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Madosh Tambwe, Elton Jantjies, Dillon Smit, Hacjivah Dayimani, Cyle Brink, Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert (c), Andries Ferreira, Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Dylan Smith. Bench: Corne Fourie, Jacques van Rooyen, Jacobie Adriaanse, Lourens Erasmus, Marvin Orie, Marnus Schoeman, Howard Mnisi, Shaun Reynolds.

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