Johnstone may return to Lions squad

Brett Johnstone, the Wallaby scrumhalf recruited last year by Lions' coach Laurie Mains, is back in the country and could make his Vodacom Cup debut this season against the NFS Griffons in Welkom on Sunday.

Hugo van As, masterminding the Lions' defence in the absence of Mains away on Super 12 duties, is hoping that Johnstone can get a midweek match under his belt before he plunges him into a tough Welkom baptism. Pirates don't start their club fixtures until later but van As will ask Lions under 21 coach Loffie Eloff if he can accommodate Johnstone during their trials this week.

But even without a competitive match under his belt, Johnstone seems likely to be part of the 22-man squad which van As names on Wednesday.

The coach has been loyal to local scrumhalves, Jacques van Niekerk and Grant Bartle during the first four fixtures, but concerns over the calibre of clearances have influenced his thinking.

He was especially worried by the collective inside back performances in the 35-30 victory over Mpumalanga Pumas, a win the Lions desperately needed after defeats by the Falcons and Griquas.

Good news for Van As and Lions' supporters is that Springbok wing Kaya Malotana may be fit for the Welkom clash and could play a new role in midfield.

The coach has yet to make up his mind but the ex-Border player could find himself shifted to centre after recovering from shin splints and then a painful bump on his hip.

If Van As is contemplating a reshaped backline he won't tamper with the pack which did such yeoman work for long periods in subduing the fiery Pumas' forwards. That means a continued No 8 role for Greg Bruwer as a pacy fetcher and a foil for the solid flanker pairing of Walter Minnaar and Eric van der Merwe.

With Bruce Thorne still out, the Lions have little need to tamper with a unit which is getting progressively better since the return of first Springbok lock Hannes Strydom, and then former Test hooker James Dalton.

The latter completed an impressive full match return last Sunday against the Pumas and his competitiveness rubs off on the pack as a whole.

"James is such a brilliant player that it lifts everyone around him," says Strydom.