Ruan Delport will captain a youthful Lions side in their opening Currie Cup match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
After suffering heartbreaking home Currie Cup final defeats in the previous two seasons, coach Mziwakhe Nkosi has selected a squad that combines experienced campaigners with emerging talents as the Joburg-based outfit looks to go one step further in 2026.
Delport leads the side from the second row, where he partners Dylan Sjoblom, with Morgan Naude, Armand Combrink and Conraad van Vuuren in the front row.
2024 Currie Cup Player of the Year Renzo du Plessis features in the back row alongside fellow flank Jarod Cairns and No 8 Morné Venter.
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In the backline, Zian Cilliers and Sam Francis form the halfback pairing, while Rynhardt Jonker and Likhona Finca start in midfield.
Experienced winger Rabz Maxwane will line up against his former team and help guide back-three youngsters Keegan Smith and Latica Nela.
There is also a welcome return on the bench for scrumhalf Layton Horn, who is back after a lengthy injury lay-off.
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Nkosi is expecting a tough challenge from a Cheetahs side featuring former Lions scrumhalf Faf de Klerk.
“Faf is getting on in years,” Nkosi joked. “So hopefully the exuberance of youth can get one over him.”
LIONS – 15 Latica Nela, 14 Keegan Smith, 13 Likhona Finca, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Zian Cilliers, 8 Morné Venter, 7 Jarod Cairns, 6 Renzo du Plessis, 5 Ruan Delport (c), 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Armand Combrink, 1 Morgan Naude.
Bench: 16 Mahle Sithole, 17 Cecil Parsons, 18 Ruan Swart, 19 Tiaan Wessels, 20 Thando Biyela, 21 Layton Horn, 22 Matthew Coetzee, 23 Exauce Kevani.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The post Delport leads next-gen Lions appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Ruan Delport will captain a youthful Lions side in their opening Currie Cup match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
The post Delport leads next-gen Lions appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
