The Emirates Lions will be using a pair of Cell C Sharks discards against their former team when they meet in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship match in Durban on Friday night.
Both Marius Louw and Rynhardt Jonker were deemed surplus to requirements and made the move to Johannesburg to find more game time and have been rewarded by partnering up against their former side in the first festive derby this weekend.
Jonker, who was on the bench against Stade Francais in the European Challenge Cup last week, comes into the side for Henco van Wyk, who limped off with an elbow injury and has been ruled out of the festive derbies. Van Wyk is expected to tour with the Lions in January when the Challenge Cup resumes, however.
Also back in the squad is the Lions’ regular skipper Reinhard Nothnagel, who will partner the “Bone Collector” Willem Alberts in a mouth-watering clash with Springbok Eben Etzebeth and Gerbrand Grobler.
While the Sharks will start as overwhelming favourites given the plethora of Springboks in their team, the Lions know they are on a good run and unbeaten in four games, building momentum and have the opportunity to strike if the Sharks give them a little leeway.
PJ Botha is back at hooker with Jaco Visagie on the bench as the Lions return to their tried and tested line-up.
Stean Pienaar returns to the bench as well for the fixture.
Emirates Lions: Andries Coetzee; Edwill van der Merwe, Rynhardt Jonker, Marius Louw, Quan Horn; Jordan Hendrikse, Sanele Nohamba; Ruan Venter, Darrian Landsberg, Emmanuel Tshituka, Reinhard Nothnagel (captain), Willem Alberts, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, JP Smith.
Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Sti Sithole, Ruan Smith, Pieter Jansen van Vuren, Jaco Kriel, Andre Warner, Gianni Lombard, Stean Pienaar