Rugby-Lions name team to take on All Blacks


Rugby Union - New Zealand tour of South Africa - South Africa v New Zealand - Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa - August 22, 2026 New Zealand's Jordie Barrett celebrates after the match REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - South ⁠Africa have released fullback Quan Horn and prop ⁠Boan Venter from the Springbok squad to play for ‌provincial side Lions against New Zealand at Ellis Park on Tuesday.

• Venter was named on Monday among the replacements and is in line to ​make his Lions debut after signing for ⁠them, having played for ⁠Edinburgh in Scotland.

• There could also be a debut for ⁠former ‌Springbok loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe, who previously played club rugby in France and is also on the ⁠bench.

• The Lions’ other Springbok squad member, scrumhalf ​Morné van den ‌Berg, has not been released, increasing his chances of ⁠a run ​out against the All Blacks in Saturday’s second test in Cape Town.

• The clash is the last of four games against ⁠provincial opposition for the touring All ​Blacks, who have already beaten the Stormers in Cape Town, Sharks in Durban and Bulls in Pretoria.

• The All Blacks played ⁠at Ellis Park last Saturday and handed South Africa a33-16 defeat in the first test of the four-match series

Team: 15-Quan Horn, 14-Kelly Mpeku, 13-Henco van Wyk, 12-Richard Kriel, 11-Erich Cronje, ​10-Chris Smith, 9-Nico Steyn, 8-Francke Horn (captain), 7-Batho ⁠Hlekani, 6-Siba Mahashe, 5-Ruan Delport, 4-Etienne Oosthuizen, 3-Sebastian Lombard, 2-PJ ​Botha, 1-SJ Kotze.

Replacements: 16-Morne Brandon, 17-Boan ‌Venter, 18-RF Schoeman, 19-Hyron Andrews, 20-Sikhumbuzo ​Notshe, 21-JC Pretorius, 22-Haashim Pead, 23-Boeta Chamberlain.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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