The newly minted Fidelity SecureDrive Lions welcome the DHL Stormers for their Round 12 Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash.
In team news, head coach Ivan van Rooyen has announced a strong lineup ahead of their tussle with the coastal side.
Fresh from a 34-22 bonus point win over the Hollywoodbets Sharks last Saturday, the Johannesburg side approaches the Origin themed round seventh on the standings, with a string of home games on the calendar before travelling to Ireland for the final two games of the regular season.
Junior Springbok Batho Hlekani enters the frame in the place of Springbok Ruan Venter, who misses out due to a head injury suffered against the Durbanites last weekend. The Graeme College old boy Hlekani features in a formidable back row consisting of skipper Francke Horn and last week’s debutant Siba Mahashe.
Fidelity SecureDrive Lions assistant coach Jaque Fourie emphasised the importance of maintaining momentum ahead of this highly anticipated local derby.
“We’ve had a good week training,” said the former Bok centre, but was cautious to point out that a job still needed to be done on Saturday.
“We haven't won anything, so we have to make sure we use the momentum and home ground advantage on Saturday. We must be up for it because we know the Stormers are coming here desperate, especially after their two previous results against the Sharks,” he concluded.
Elsewhere, scrumhalf Nico Steyn provides cover at scrumhalf and flyhalf, while Westville Boys High old boy Siba Qoma returns from injury to offer impact when called upon.
Lions: 1. SJ Kotze (Paarl Boys High), 2. PJ Botha (Monument), 3. RF Schoeman (Hoërskool Frikkie Meyer), 4. Etienne Oosthuizen (Bersig Academy), 5. Darrien Landsberg (Northcliff High School), 6. Siba Mahashe (Hudson Park High School), 7. Batho Hlekani (Graeme College), 8. Francke Horn (c) (Paarl Boys High), 9. Morne van den Berg (Hoërskool Linden), 10. Chris Smith (SACS), 11. Angelo Davids (Stellenberg High School), 12. Bronson Mills (King Edward VII), 13. Henco van Wyk (Monument), 14. Kelly Mpeku (King Edward VII), 15. Quan Horn (Paarl Boys High). Replacements: 16. Franco Marais (Transvalia), 17. Eddie Davids Hoërskool Fichardtpark), 18. Conrad van Vuuren (Hoërskool Nelspruit), 19. Reinhard Nothnagel (Monument), 20. Siba Qoma (Westville Boys), 21. Renzo du Plessis (Hoërskool Ben Vorster), 22. Nico Steyn (Glenwood Boys), 23. Erich Cronje (EG Jansen).