The Lions will be hunting a win over the Sharks without star players Henco van Wyk and Quan Horn, who were both injured against the Bulls.
The Lions were dealt a double blow ahead of their United Rugby Championship (URC) derby clash against the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday (kick-off 2:30pm) when they announced their match 23 without star players Quan Horn and Henco van Wyk on Friday.
Explosive centre Van Wyk, who scored a try during their match against the Bulls at Loftus last weekend, was replaced at halftime of that game with an ankle injury that could reportedly keep him out for three weeks.
In the same game Horn apparently injured his toe and he will also be sidelined for a couple of weeks, but it is hoped that both will be passed fit for their European tour starting towards the end of March.
Coming into the starting side for the two young rising talents is Manuel Rass in the midfield and Tapiwa Mafura at the back.
Rass has featured off the bench a number of times for the Lions in their last few matches, and slots into the midfield with Marius Louw, who he has played with extensively previously, so should feel right at home.
Kicking bombs
Mafura, who has featured for the Lions mostly on the wing during the season, has not played recently and will have his work cut out for him at fullback trying to deal the bombs that the Sharks will inevitably send up over him.
Two non-injury enforced changes have also been made to the starting side from the team that fronted the Bulls at Loftus, with poacher JC Pretorius slotting back in at six, with Jarrod Cairns dropping to the bench, while Ruben Schoeman returns at four.
Schoeman last played for the Lions in the URC against the Stormers in Cape Town in December, where he was red carded for a very poor cleanout of Manie Libbok at a ruck, which subsequently earned him a lengthy ban, and he slots in for Etienne Oosthuizen who drops out of the match 23.
It is set to be a tough encounter for the Lions after the Sharks named their match 23 on Thursday, featuring a number of Springbok reinforcements, with Bongi Mbonambi, Jaden Hendrikse and Lukhanyo Am all starting, while Siya Kolisi, Vincent Koch and Grant Williams make their return from the bench.
Lions starting XV
Tapiwa Mafura, Richard Kriel, Manuel Rass, Marius Louw, Edwill van der Merwe, Gianni Lombard, Morne van den Berg, Francke Horn, Ruan Venter, JC Pretorius, Darrien Landsberg, Ruben Schoeman, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, Juan Schoeman
Bench: Jaco Visage, SJ Kotze, RF Schoeman, Ruan Delport, Sibabalo Qoma, Jarrod Cairns, Nico Steyn, Rynhardt Jonker
