Lions make three changes for Ulster

The Lions have made three changes to the side that beat Scarlets for their Vodacom United Rugby Championship Round 5 fixture against Irish side Ulster at Ellis Park on Saturday.

After the news broke that they have lost Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg to a hamstring injury and flanker JC Pretorius to a knee injury, the Lions were forced to make at least one change.

Van den Berg didn’t play against Scarlets, but the Lions didn’t want to risk him as he is leaving on the Springbok tour of Europe this weekend and will hope he is ready to play for the Boks.

Pretorius is a particularly bad injury loss but is replaced by Jarod Cairns at flank as the Lions will be wary of their own deficiencies at the breakdown.

Reinhard Nothnagel returns to the starting line-up after playing off the bench last weekend while in the only change to the backline, Bronson Mills lines up at 12 in the place of Richard Kriel.

Kriel wasn’t listed as an injury concern, so the move is tactical.

Lions: Quan Horn, Eduan Keyter, Henco van Wyk, Bronson Mills, Angelo Davids; Chris Smith, Nico Steyn; Francke Horn (captain), Ruan Venter, Jarod Cairns, Reinhard Nothnagel, Etienne Oosthuizen, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Franco Marais, SJ Kotze.

Replacements: Morne Brandon, RF Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Darrien Landsberg, Renzo du Plessis, Layton Horn, Gianni Lombard, Kelly Mpeku.