Jaco Kriel will return to captain a new-look Golden Lions side in Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash against the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Loftus.

Kriel, back from injury, will start at openside flank in a pack with a host of changes.

Kriel’s return sees a back-row reshuffle as Stephan de Witt shifts to blindside flank, Fabian Booysen moves to No 8 and Kwagga Smith drops to the bench.

In the tight five, Franco Mostert takes over from Martin Muller at No 5 with the latter shifting to No 4 in place of MB Lusaseni, while tighthead prop Ruan Dreyer and hooker Robbie Coetzee rotate with Julian Redelinghuys and Malcolm Marx.

There are three changes in the backline, with Marnitz Boschoff and Ross Cronjé forming a new halfback combination, while Courtnall Skosan comes back onto the wing.

Golden Lions – Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Stokkies Hanekom, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Fabian Booysen, 7 Stephan de Witt, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: Malcolm Marx, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 MB Lusaseni, 19 Kwagga Smith, 20 Jaco van der Walt, 21 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 22 Sampie Mastriet.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images