Centre Burger Odendaal and wing Rabz Maxwane have been selected in the Lions starting lineup for Saturday’s pre-season friendly against the Stormers at Loftus.
They will face the Stormers at 7pm on Saturday in the second match of the Vodacom Super Fan Saturday double-header, with the Sharks taking on the Vodacom Bulls earlier in the day.
As expected, flyhalf Elton Jantjies has retained the captaincy and will be joined in the backline by regular teammates Andre Warner (scrumhalf), Courtnall Skosan (wing) and Wandisile Simelane (outside centre) as well as squad newcomers Odendaal (inside centre), Maxwane (wing) and Divan Rossouw (fullback).
Up front, Jaco Kriel has recovered fully from the injury that kept him sidelined earlier in the year and starts at openside flank, with Vincent Tshituka on the blindside and Hacjivah Dayimani at No 8.
Marvin Orie partners Ruden Schoeman in the second row and the front row will consist of Dylan Smith, Jaco Visagie and Ruan Dreyer, who is back at Ellis Park from his stint overseas.
Lions – 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Sibahle Maxwane, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies (c), 9 Andre Warner, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Dylan Smith.
Subs: 16 Sti Sithole, 17 Jan-Henning Campher, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Reinhard Nothnagel, 21 MJ Pelser, 22 Francke Horn, 23 Len Massyn, 24 Dillon Smit, 25 Gianni Lombard, 26 Stean Pienaar, 27 Daniel Kriel, 28 Manuel Rass, 29 Jamba Ulengo, 30 EW Viljoen.
Photo: Gallo Images