Johan Ackermann has included lock Franco Mostert in the Golden Lions starting XV for their Currie Cup clash against the EP Kings on Saturday.

Mostert was released from the Springbok squad on Tuesday and slots straight back the Lions setup for the Currie Cup opener in Port Elizabeth.

The bulk of the players Ackermann named for this match featured for the Lions in the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament earlier this year.

Among the forwards, Kwagga Smith returns from a stint with the Blitzboks and completes the loose trio with Ruaan Lerm and captain Jaco Kriel; Mostert and Martin Muller start as locks; with props Julian Redelinghuys and Jacques van Rooyen scrumming down with young hooker Malcolm Marx.

In the backline, fullback Ruan Combrinck and wings Courtnall Skosan and Anthony Volmink form the back three; Howard Mnisi and Harold Vorster are the centre pairing; and Marnitz Boshoff and Ross Cronjé are the halfbacks. 

Golden Lions – 15 Ruan Combrinck, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Harold Vorster, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Kwagga Smith, 6 Jaco Kriel (c), 5 Martin Muller, 4 Franco Mostert, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 MB Lusaseni, 19 Steph de Wit, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Stokkies Hanekom, 22 Jaco van der Walt.

Photo: Duif du Toit/Gallo Images