Ackermann makes wholesale changes

Lions coach Johan Ackermann has made 11 changes to his starting team for their fourth round Currie Cup match against Boland at Ellis Park.

|||

Lions coach Johan Ackermann has made 11 changes to his starting team for Friday's fourth round Currie Cup match against Boland at Ellis Park.

Ackermann has dropped several players from the side that lost to Griquas in Kimberley last weekend; the Lions' first defeat in the competition in 14 matches. The Joburg team didn't lose a match in their 12-game run to the title last year and they started this year's campaign with an emphatic win against the Pumas.

The Lions though came unstuck on the rock-hard field of Griquas last week and Ackermann hasn't wasted any time in chopping several first choice players from the squad.

Out go the likes of Jaco van der Walt, Stokkies Hanekom, Akker van der Merwe and MB Lusaseni, while Dylan Smith, Cyle Brink and Ross Cronje have to be happy with a spot on the bench. Sylvian Mahuza also misses out but he is nursing an injury.

There is still no place in the side for Super Rugby stars Andries Ferreira and Rohan Janse van Rensburg, while SA Sevens star, Kwagga Smith, is expected to be considered for action next week.

Back in the side though is fullback Andries Coetzee, while flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff also gets a chance to make the No 10 jersey his own again. His halfback partner will be Dillon Smit.

There's a new-look back-row including Victor Sekekete, while Ruan Ackermann shifts from eighthman to the second row where he will partner Martin Muller.

The match on Friday kicks off at 5pm.

Lions: Andries Coetzee, Selom Gavor, Jacques Nel, Howard Mnisi, Anthony Volmink, Marnitz Boshoff, Dillon Smit, Ruaan Lerm, Victor Sekekete, Steph de Wit, Martin Muller, Ruan Ackermann, Pieter Scholtz, Ramone Samuels, Corné Fourie. Replacements: Robbie Coetzee, Dylan Smith, Bobby de Wee, Cyle Brink, Ross Cronje, Koch Marx, JW Bell - Independent Media