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The coach has stuck with the exciting midfield pairing of Bronson Mills and Henco van Wyk.
Regular Lions flank Ruan Venter (No 7) has shifted to lock for the URC match against Scarlets this weekend. Picture: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has welcomed back Springbok forward Ruan Venter to his team for the United Rugby Championship match against Scarlets at Ellis Park on Sunday, with kick off at 3pm.
Venter though, who earned his only Bok cap to date last season, will play in the lock position on Sunday rather than in his more familiar blindside flank role.
Exciting scrumhalf Nico Steyn will wear the No 9 jersey in place of the injured Morne van den Berg, while rookie Layton Horn will be his backup.
In the absence of Francke Horn, hooker Jaco Visagie will again lead the side from hooker.
Van Rooyen has also opted to stick with the midfield pairing of youngster Bronson Mills and Henco van Wyk, while Kade Wolhuter will continue at flyhalf.
The Lions go into the match on the back of a good win against Connacht, but find themselves down in 13th position on the points table with 35 points. Scarlets are seventh with 43 points, having won one more game so far than the Lions (8-7).
For the Lions to stand a chance of reaching the quarter-finals, and the top eight, they will have to win this weekend and also beat Ospreys next week, with bonus points, and hope some other results go their way.
Defence coach Jaque Fourie though said the team were not looking at the log or the permutations.
“We are not worried about permutations; we want to win the last two games with five points,” said Fourie.
“Scarlets are a quality outfit; they have come a long way this season and we can’t think it’s going to be an easy game. We need to rock up on Sunday and the following week too. They have shown (Ospreys) that they are probably our bogey team in the last few years.”
Lions: Quan Horn, Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk, Bronson Mills, Edwill van der Merwe, Kade Wolhuter, Nico Steyn, Jarod Cairns, Renzo du Plessis, JC Pretorius, Ruan Delport, Ruan Venter, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Jaco Visagie (capt), Morgan Naude. Bench: PJ Botha, SJ Kotze, RF Schoeman, Darrien Landsberg, Sibabalo Qoma, Layton Horn, Lubabalo Dobela, Rynhardt Jonker
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