Lombard at 10 as Lions shake things up

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Gianni Lombard will start at flyhalf as the Lions have made seven changes to their starting lineup for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against the Sharks in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Ivan van Rooyen has named a Lions lineup that features three enforced changes to the backline, but also a pack strengthened by the return of loose forwards Ruan Venter and Jaco Kriel.

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In the absence of Jordan Hendrikse and Henco van Wyk in the backline, Gianni Lombard and centre Manuel Rass have been promoted to the starting lineup, while Rabz Maxwane gets a start on the right wing in place of Stean Pienaar.

One further change to the backline sees Morne van den Berg replace Andre Warner at scrumhalf.

The pack features three changes as Venter and Kriel replace Emile van Heerden and Sibusiso Sangweni respectively, while Ruben Schoeman comes in for Darrien Landsberg.

There is a potential debutant on the bench in the form of 20-year-old former Vodacom Bulls forward Ruan Delport. Former Sharks scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba will take his former team on as a substitute.

Lions – 15 Quan Horn, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Marius Louw (c), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Emmanuel Tshituka, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 JP Smith.
Subs: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Morgan Naude, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Sibusiso Sangweni, 21 Ruhan Straeuli, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Rynhardt Jonker.

Photo: Andy Watts/BackpagePix

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