Lions boss Van Rooyen makes minor changes to team for Dragons battle

2026-03-27 - 08:00

Lions boss Ivan van Rooyen has tweaked his team for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against the Dragons at Ellis Park (4.30pm). In all, there are four changes to the side that beat Edinburgh last weekend. Up front, Etienne Oosthuizen slots back into the second row after missing last week’s fixture due to illness and he’ll partner Reinhard Nothnagel, who replaces Darrien Landsburg in the lock pairing. Also, in the front row, promising young prop RF Schoeman steps in for Springbok Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who is having his doping hearing at the moment. In the only change at the back, Nico Steyn steps in for Morne van den Berg at scrumhalf, the latter man nursing a leg injury. With Steyn moving into the starting team talented youngster Haashim Pead gets a chance from the bench. Also set to make an impact later on could be Sebastian Lombard (prop) and Ruan Delport (lock). Soldiering on without Ntlabakanye A win by the Lions and some other results going their way could see the Joburg side into third place on the points table. Scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys said the Lions would miss the power of Ntlabakanye, but that they had sufficient cover up front. “Asenathi is very important to us. He brings physicality and also leadership to the team,” said Redelinghuys. “But when he is not here, the other guys have to take advantage of the opportunity they get. That is the only way the young guys grow. RF is a young prop who has played in many matches. He is still learning in every match,” he added. “The set-pieces are the part of his game in which he still needs to learn the most; in the loose he plays like a wild dog,” the former Bok prop concluded. The Lions will hope to end this block of fixtures on a high as from next week they’ll be on a two-week break before returning for two crucial home matches against Glasgow Warriors and Connacht. Lions: Quan Horn, Angelo Davids, Henco van Wyk, Bronson Mills, Erich Cronje, Chris Smith, Nico Steyn, Francke Horn (capt), Ruan Venter, Siba Mahashe, Reinhard Nothnagel, Etienne Oosthuizen, RF Schoeman, PJ Botha, SJ Kotze. Bench: Morne Brandon, Eddie Davids, Sebastian Lombard, Ruan Delport, Batho Hlekani, Renzo du Plessis, Haashim Pead, Richard Kriel