Just In: There are four new faces in Western Province’s starting XV for the Currie Cup encounter with the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

There are four new faces in Western Province’s starting XV for the Currie Cup encounter with the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

WP are looking to bounce back from a 48-23 defeat to the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town against a Lions team that hammered the Sharks 46-5.

We have made some changes, but looked to keep most of the combinations from our opening match so that the players can build an understanding and synergy,” said WP coach Labeeb Levy.

“We saw some promising signs in the second half of our first game and it will require a big lift in standards to take that forward against a competitive Lions side on Saturday.”

The changes in the backline come on both wings, with Sako Makata and Jared Africa replacing Courtnall Skosan and Quewin Nortje, while Junior Boks and sevens star Gino Cupido comes onto the bench.

Up front, former Junior Boks captain Zachary Porthen starts at tighthead prop in place of Cabous Eloff and in the loose trio Louw Nel moves to the back of the scrum, at De Wet Marais’ expense, with Gideon van Wyk starting at blindside flank.

Coach Mziwakhe Nkosi has made three changes for the Lions’ Currie Cup match against Western Province at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Renzo du Plessis, the 2024 Currie Cup Player of the Year, replaces the injured Izan Esterhuizen at openside flank having come off the bench in the Lions’ 46-5 win against the Sharks.

In other changes to the match 23, hooker Marno Grobbelaar is set to make his Currie Cup debut as a replacement, while loose forward Siba Qoma also comes on to the bench.

WESTERN PROVINCE – 15 Shilton van Wyk, 14 Sako Makata, 13 Luke Burger, 12 Damian Markus, 11 Jared Africa, 10 Kyle Smith, 9 Asad Moos, 8 Louw Nel, 7 Gideon van Wyk, 6 Zain Davids (c), 5 Gary Porter, 4 Alex Groves, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Sti Sithole.
Bench: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Mhleli Khuzwayo, 18 Arno Gustafson, 19 Andre Goedhals, 20 Erhard Lambrecht, 21 Ezekiel Ngobeni, 22 Gino Cupido, 23 Tristan Leyds.