Coetzee returns as Lions ring the chances

Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann took his rotation policy to a different level yesterday when he named his team to face Boland in a Currie Cup encounter at Ellis Park tomorrow night.

A massive 12 changes, including a positional swap, were made to the side who performed well below their normal high standard in going down 30-24 to Griquas in Kimberley last weekend.

Centre Howard Mnisi, who was named as co-captain at the start of the season, takes over the leadership duties from scrumhalf Ross Cronje, who will get a rest on the bench.

Mnisi is also the only surviving member of the starting backline of last week, with fullback Sylvian Mahuza (injured, leg), wing Courtnall Skosan, centre Stokkies Hanekom, flyhalf Jaco van der Walt and Cronje all being rotated.

Skosan, Hanekom and Van der Walt will get a complete rest after not even being named on the bench, with two new backline reserves in wing Koch Marx and fullback JW Bell brought in.

Andries Coetzee returns at fullback for the first time since the Super Rugby final, Selom Gavor is in for Skosan, Jacques Nell replaces Hanekom in the midfield, while the new halfback combination is Marnitz Boshoff and Dillon Smit.

The big news is the return on the bench of Springbok hooker Robbie Coetzee after a lengthy knee injury after being injured in the Lions second Super Rugby game against the Chiefs.

There’s a new front row in Corne Fourie, Ramone Samuels and Pieter Scholtz, replacing Dylon Smith, Akker van der Merwe and Jacques van Rooyen, with the latter two getting a complete rest.

In the second row, Martin Muller starts alongside Ruan Ackermann who has been moved from No 8, replacing MB Lusaseni and Lourens Erasmus who have both been left out altogether.

The new No 8 is Ruaan Lerm and he is joined by blindside flank Victor Sekekete who starts in place of Cyle Brink, while openside flank Steph de Wit is one of just two players retained from the starting pack of last week.