The Lions will be without regular captain Cobus Grobbelaar for their Currie Cup campaign.

Courtecy Pieter Jordaan from SuperSport and fellow Brakpanian… although I believe he had plans to move away… hahaha:

Grobbelaar’s season has been ended by a nagging shoulder problem that has required surgery and former skipper Wikus van Heerden is set to captain the side.

Van Heerden returned to South Africa from England earlier this year to further his career at the Lions, for whom he had previously played.

Apart from the absence of Grobbelaar, there was also no place for Earl Rose and Carlos Spencer.

Rose was still a Springbok tourist last year, but his immediate future is with club side Raiders. His form in this year’s Super 14 was not good enough to justify his continued inclusion.

Henno Mentz (wing), Walter Venter (centre) and Wouter Moore (lock) are also not in the squad and have been made available to their clubs.

Spencer, 34, is the Lions’ backline coach and will probably only be called upon in case of emergency.