Jaco Visagie will captain a Lions team packed with experience into the first round of the 2025 Currie Cup against the Sharks at Ellis Park, with 11 players from last year’s final heartbreak named to go again.

The Pride lost 16-14 in dramatic fashion in the 2024 decider, with former Lions playmaker Jordan Hendrikse slotting a long-range penalty after the hooter.

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Survivors of that disappointment, Morgan Naude, Visagie, Darrien Landsberg, Jarod Cairns, Nico Steyn, Rynhardt Jonker, Rabz Maxwane, Morne Brandon, Raynard Roets, Kelly Mpeku and Kade Wolhuter will run out with revenge on their minds.

New signing Angelo Davids makes his Lions debut on the right wing after joining from the Stormers, while Maxwane returns on the left after a long injury layoff. Gianni Lombard slots in at fullback, with Lubabalo Dobela starting at flyhalf and Steyn continuing at scrumhalf.

Haashim Pead, named Player of the Tournament at the World Rugby U20 Championship, will have to wait to make his debut after being left out of the matchday squad.

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LIONS – 15 Gianni Lombard, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Lubabalo Dobela, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 WJ Steenkamp, 7 Izan Esterhuizen, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Raynard Roets, 3 RF Schoeman, 2 Jaco Visagie (c), 1 Morgan Naude.
Bench: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 SJ Kotze, 18 Heiko Pohlmann, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Layton Horn, 22 Kade Wolhuter, 23 Kelly Mpeku.

Photo: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images