Ackermann keeps his eye on the prize

Bonus points could have the final say going into Friday night’s mustwin Currie Cup clash between the Golden Lions and the Sharks at Ellis Park.

Lions coach Johan Ackermann yesterday named five changes to the team who gave the EP Kings a 71-7 drubbing in Port Elizabeth last weekend for this do-or-die affair.

The Lions are currently on 22 points, three behind the Sharks and only need a win even if the Durbanites finish within seven, with the Lions holding a 34-point superior differential.

“If you look at the different scenarios, let’s say we get four points for a potential win and they get a losing bonus point, they will still end up with the same points as us,” said Ackermann.

“So we must forget about possible scenarios and just go full out to try and get the win and let the table look after itself.”

Ackermann yesterday resisted the temptation to name returning Bok hooker Malcolm Marx in his starting line-up, naming him on the bench, while deciding to start with Robbie Coetzee (above), a Bok tourist himself.

In the second change up front, tighthead Ruan Dreyer has been named to replace Bok prop Julian Redelinghuys who is part of the national squad for this weekend’s Test against the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld.

At the back there are three changes with fullback Andries Coetzee returning in place of Sylvian Mahuza, who started last weekend in PE with Coetzee coming off the bench to convert the Lions’ final three tries.

The other two changes have been made at inside centre and scrumhalf, with Rohan Janse van Rensburg replacing one of the stars of last week, Howard Mnisi, while behind the scrum former skipper Ross Cronje is back in place of Dillon Smit who will start from the bench.