Lions surprise with Venter at lock

Springbok flanker Ruan Venter will start in the unfamiliar position of lock as the Emirates Lions look to keep their slim hopes of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship playoffs alive when they take on Welsh side Scarlets on Sunday afternoon.

Venter, who won his solitary Bok cap against Portugal in Bloemfontein last year, is more known as a blindside flank but will pack down alongside Ruan Delport as the Lions look to have a Mother’s Day celebration on their home field. Venter replaces Ruben Schoeman, who falls out of the matchday 23 altogether.

The Lions have a very slim chance of making the playoffs and need full points from their last two games. Then they still need some other results to go their way this weekend to remain in the running next week.

The Lions will be without another Bok in Morne van den Berg, who has been ruled out injured for the game, with his place being taken by Nico Steyn in the starting line-up.

But while they will need to keep one eye on other results, the Lions know they need to do their job first, or nothing will matter.

“For us at this stage, we are not worried about permutations; we want to win the last two games with five points,” defence coach Jaque Fourie said.

“Scarlets are a quality outfit; they have come a long way this season and we can’t think it’s going to be an easy game. We need to rock up on Sunday and the following week too. They have shown (Ospreys) that they are probably our bogey team in the last few years.”

Young scrumhalf Layton Horn provides cover from the bench with the experience of Darrien Landsberg and PJ Botha also on standby.

Kick-off on Sunday is at 3pm.

EMIRATES LIONS: Quan Horn; Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk, Bronson Mills, Edwill van der Merwe; Kade Wolhuter, Nico Steyn; Jarod Cairns, Renzo du Plessis, JC Pretorius, Ruan Delport, Ruan Venter, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Jaco Visagie (captain), Morgan Naude.

REPLACEMENTS: PJ Botha, SJ Kotze, RF Schoeman, Darrien Landsberg, Sibabalo Qoma, Layton Horn, Lubabalo Dobela, Rynhardt Jonker