DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 03: Morne van den Berg of the Lions during the United Rugby Championship match between Hollywoodbets Sharks and Lions at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium on January 03, 2026 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images)
Springbok scrumhalf Morné van den Berg has been declared fit and will play from the start when the Lions host Glasgow Warriors in a round 15 United Rugby Championship match at Ellis Park on Saturday (4pm).
Van den Berg has been sidelined since picking up an injury in the match against Edinburgh on 21 March.
Also back for the Lions this week is former Blitzboks star and flanker JC Pretorius, who will play off the bench this weekend.
Meanwhile, Richard Kriel, who normally plays at wing, has been picked at centre in place of the injured Bronson Mills. He will partner Henco van Wyk in the midfield, with Erich Cronje continuing on the wing.
Top eight push
The Lions will be desperate to pick up a win and continue their march towards a first top eight and quarter-finals appearance. After this weekend’s match they have just three regular season games remaining, against Connacht at home next week and away to Leinster and Munster.
As things stand, Ivan van Rooyen’s team are fifth in the standings, but if they lose this weekend to the top-placed Glasgow, and other results go against them, they can find themselves in eighth or ninth and then in a scrap to make the top eight.
Glasgow go into this game on the back of being knocked out of the Champions Cup by Toulon last weekend, but they have lost just three times in 14 matches in the URC this season and are also URC champions from two seasons ago.
The last time Glasgow faced the Lions they won 42-0, at home in Scotland, last March.
The Lions though have won their last four matches at Ellis Park.
Glasgow first priority
“We’ve put ourselves in this position and we’re all really looking forward to the next two matches at home as it could put us exactly where we want to be when the playoffs come around,” said Lions captain Francke Horn.
“The idea of taking it game by game really rings true for us. You can get caught up thinking too far ahead and then your focus slips.
“We know where we want to be after these two matches, but it starts with Glasgow. That’s our priority.”
Lions: Quan Horn, Angelo Davids, Henco van Wyk, Richrd Kriel, Erich Cronje, Chris Smith, Morné van der Merwe, Francke Horn (capt), Ruan Venter, Siba Mahashe, Darrien Landsberg, Etienne Oosthuizen, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, SJ Kotze. Bench: Franco Marais, Eddie Davids, Sebastian Lombard, Reinhard Nothnagel, Batho Hlekani, JC Pretorius, Nico Steyn, Kelly Mpeku
