The Emirates Lions have announced that they have signed the bulk of their pack for the foreseeable future, even as their forwards coach Albert van den Berg departs the union.
Top young talents such as prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Reinhard Nothnagel, Francke Horn and PJ Botha all put pen to paper to recommit their futures to the Lions while veteran JP Smith extended his career after an exceptional season in the scrum.
Also signed for the foreseeable future is SA A midfielder Henco van Wyk, who is seen as a future Springbok.
The Lions did confirm on Monday that Van den Berg had chosen not to renew his contract with the union, this coming after a number of off-field clashes that have been well-reported in the media.
Neither the Lions nor Van den Berg spoke as to the reasons for the decision.