Sanele Nohamba has been a standout at flyhalf for the Emirates Lions this season but he will be back in his more familiar No 9 jersey when the Hollywoodbets Sharks visit Emirates Airlines Park for Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby.
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has opted to bring Jordan Hendrikse, who will be playing for the Sharks next season, back as a flyhalf, with Morne van den Berg, who has shown good form at scrumhalf, moving to the bench. Nohamba is a former Sharks player.
There are several other changes to the Lions team that started the recent derby defeat to the Bulls, with PJ Botha rotating with Jaco Visagie, who plays off the bench this week, at hooker. JC Pretorius comes in at flank for Hanru SIrgel, who drops to the bench.
Emmanuel Tshituka, another Lions player lined up to play for the Sharks next year, comes back from injury via the bench and will be playing his landmark 50th game for the Gauteng franchise when he gets onto the field. Van Rooyen has opted to continue with the six-two split between forwards and backs on the bench.
Players not available due to injury include veteran former Bok utility forward Willem Alberts, former Bok prop Ruan Dreyer, lock Ruben Schoeman and Morgan Naude.
Emirates Lions team: Quan Horn, Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk, Marius Louw (captain), Edwill van der Merwe, Jordan Hendrikse, Sanele Nohamba, Francke Horn, Ruan Venter, JC Pretorius, Darren Landsberg, Etienne Oosthuizen, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, JP Smith. Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Corne Fourie, Conraad van Vuuren, Reinhard Nothnagel, Emmanuel Tshituka, Hanru Sirgel, Morne van den Berg, Erich Cronje.