Lions make changes ahead of Boland Cavaliers clash

The Lions have implemented several changes to their starting lineup for Friday's fixture against the Boland Cavaliers at Wits Stadium. Junior Springbok JD Hattingh earns his first start of the 2026 Currie Cup season in the second row.

New faces also feature in the starting XV, with Layton Horn making his run-on debut at scrumhalf and Exauce Kevani starting at centre. Winger Rabz Maxwane returns to the starting lineup, while captain Jarod Cairns moves to the back of the scrum. The squad also benefits from the return of Siba Qoma at flanker and prop Juan Schoeman, who joins the bench following injury.

The match comes at a critical juncture with only three rounds remaining before the playoffs. The Lions currently occupy third place in the standings with 12 points from two victories in four games. Boland Cavaliers sit in fifth place with 11 points.

Both teams are looking to recover from defeats in their previous outings. The Lions lost 31-19 to Griquas at Griqua Park, while the Boland Cavaliers were beaten 19-12 by the Sharks XV in KwaMashu.

Recent encounters between these two sides have been evenly split. In September, the Lions secured a 67-19 victory during a semi-final, though Boland had won their previous meeting 29-10 in Wellington.