Malcolm Marx to play 50th Super Rugby match against the Sharks

In anticipation of the Sharks’ muscle flexing and heightened physicality‚ the Lions opted for six forwards on their bench for Saturday’s Super Rugby clash in Durban.

Scrumhalf Nic Groom and wing Courtnal Skosan are the only backs on the bench as coach Swys de Bruin prepares for close combat against the desperate Sharks.

The Sharks have a pack that features five recent Springboks but the Lions will travel to the east coast with six internationals among their forwards.

Crucially‚ it includes inspirational No8 and captain Warren Whiteley and combative hooker Malcolm Marx.

For Marx it will be a moment to savour.

He will be playing in his 50th Super Rugby match.

With the Sharks’ Super Rugby ambitions hanging by a thread‚ De Bruin is expecting them to up the ante in the physical stakes.

“The Sharks will always bring it. The guys they have up front there like the physical side. It will be a good arm wrestle‚” said De Bruin.

The coach entrusted the No10 jersey to embattled Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies who failed to rise to the occasion at a wet Newlands against England last weekend.

De Bruin backed the pivot to bounce back and pointed out that the mercurial player had done so before. Jantjies will have Ross Cronje as a halfback partner.

In the face of persistent rumours that Springbok lock Franco Mostert was also on his way north of the equator‚ De Bruin had to fend off questions around the Lions’ perceived player exodus.

Mostert has apparently agreed terms to move to Gloucester but the Lions are disputing the transfer.

Should they lose him as well‚ the Lions would have lost Ruan Ackermann‚ Jaco Kriel and Ruan Dreyer to former coach Johan Ackermann’s team.

De Bruin’s general attitude is c’est la vie.

“We are in our sixth year together. I understand it 100 percent. We have youngsters coming through. We had about 11‚ 12 guys at the SA u21 and we are keeping our spine‚" De Bruin said.

"Malcolm Marx‚ Ross (Cronje) are still here‚ we have Nic Groom‚ Warren Whiteley‚ Elton (Jantjies) is still with us and Andries (Coetzee).

“There is a great future in front of this province. There are guys that will go. The guys who leave‚ we wish them well.

“Obviously there are other players talking to other clubs and you have to understand there are guys behind the scenes who are trying to make money out of them. They chase to get them a better deal.

“If guys go‚ that’s life.”

The Lions team to play the Sharks:

Andries Coetzee; Ruan Combrinck‚ Lionel Mapoe‚ Harold Vorster‚ Aphiwe Dyantyi; Elton Jantjies‚ Ross Cronje; Warren Whiteley (captain)‚ Cyle Brink‚ Kwagga Smith; Franco Mostert‚ Marvin Orie; Ruan Dreyer‚ Malcolm Marx‚ Dylan Smith.

Substitutes:

Corne Fourie‚ Jacques van Rooyen‚ Johannes Jonker‚ Lourens Erasmus‚ Hacjivah Dayimani‚ Marnus Schoeman; Nic Groom‚ Courtnal Skosan.