Delport cleared for Bulls clash

It was thumbs up for Tinus Delport's broken right ring finger on Wednesday and so he takes takes his place in the Cats' midfield for Saturday's opening Super 12 crunch at Loftus.

Former Blue Bull Grant Esterhuisen is the only new face from last season in the Cats starting lineup against the Northern Bulls - but there are four new caps among the seven replacements, Jimmy Powell, Torres Pretorius, Pierre Ribbens and Delarey du Preez - replacing Wickus Venter, who broke a cheekbone against Free State last Friday night.

Delport trained without discomfort on Wednesday and convinced coach Laurie Mains and the Cats' medical staff that he would be match fit if he played with the finger well protected with strapping.

Uncertainty only remains over whether or not Jannes Labuschagne or Springbok Johan Ackermann, set to pack down against his former Bulls' teammates, will start at lock while a late decision determined that Jannie van der Walt, not Mac Masina, will be among the three replacement backs.

Mains said: "We are as ready as we will ever be but I suppose no coach reckons he is ever entirely happy with any preparation. We always think it could be better, so one does not really know until after the first match." The coach reckons that apart from the missing Springbok flanker and captain Johan Erasmus (out for five weeks) and centre Venter (sidelined for a month), it is the best available team.

The Lions' team for the opening defence of their Vodacom Cup against Falcons on Friday night was dependent on which players were being released by Mains and Lions' coach Hugo van As conducted the final practice in high hopes of having a strong hand available of returning Cats.

His wishes were met and he was delighted to have Masina to partner promising former SA under 21 centre, Eugene Marx, while on the wings the champions are well served by former Border Springbok, Kaya Malotana and prolific try-scorer Dean Hall.

Despite being without three key forwards in Springboks James Dalton and Hannes Strydom and tough young prop Pietman van Niekerk (all injured), the pack has a formidable look about it. Eric van der Merwe assumes the captaincy in the absence of Strydom.

The Falcons team contains five former Lions against their old teammates. They are flyhalf Louis van Rensburg, talented fullback Dawie du Toit, centre Joe Esterhuizen, No 8 Kurt Steinbach and emerging prop, Lawrence Sephaka. They all contributed to the Lions' cause in varying degrees last season although Steinbach's promising career-start with the Ellis Park-based union, was ruined by a bad early injury.

Cats team:

Kobus Engelbrecht; Chester Williams, Japie Mulder, Grant Esterhuizen, Thinus Delport; Hennie le Roux, Labuschagne, Willie Meyer, Leon Boshoff, Marius Mostert. Bench: Mac Masina/Jannie van der Walt, Louis Koen, Jimmy Powell, Torres Pretorius, Johan Ackermann/Jannes Labuschagne, Pierre Ribbens, Delarey du Preez.

Lions team (to play Falcons):

Jaco Booysen; Kaya Malotana, Eugene Marx, Mac Masina, Dean Hall; Andre Pretorius, Jacques van Niekerk, Greg Bruwer, Walter Minnaar, Eric van der Merwe (c), Russell Winter, Francois du Toit, Nic Moore, Andre Booysens, Eben Herselman. Bench: Grant Bartle, Johnny Wearne, Sax Chirwa, Kapstok va Greuning, Michel Loubscher, Bruce Thorne, Gromingo Mzunga.

Falcons:

Dawie du Toit; Adrian Jacobs, Joe Esterhuizen, Piet Matthys, Turtius Douw; Louis van Rensburg, Freddy Roberts; Kurt Steinbach, Bertus Heunis, Jaco Booysen (c), Piet Myburgh, Ralf Schroeder, Lawrence Sephaka, Danie van der Walt, Gunder Williamson. Bench: Deon de Kock, Wynand Lourens, John Booysen, Skipper Badenhorst, Wessel Roux, Stefan Brits, Naas Rossouw.