Sithole leads the exit list from the Lions

NEWS: Lions prop Sithembiso Sithole might very well be the Stormers’ answer to replacing Springbok Steven Kitshoff.

The next order of business for the Lions following their exit from the Currie Cup is contract negotiations and this will see a host of Lions players depart the Johannesburg side while a few new names have been announced.

Starting with those players set to exit the struggling Lions together with Sithole, they include scrumhalf Andre Warner, fullback and flyhalf Tiaan Swanepoel and loose forwards Peter-John Steenkamp and Cal Smid.

Sithole has been an unsung hero in the Lions front row for a number of years after joining them in 2016. The Stormers are looking for a replacement for Springbok Steven Kitshoff and for them to be looking at the big prop show they recognize his quality.

This move will see him return to the place where he made his senior rugby debut after graduating from UCT where he ironically had to compete with Kitshoff.

The 29-year-old Warner is a nippy scrumhalf with genuine leadership qualities but his time at the Lions was an up and down affair, being the number one choice the one day, and warming the bench the next.

Warner has told Rugby365 that he has offers on the table and will decide on his future soon.

Steenkamp has struggled to make the step-up to senior rugby after representing SA Schools ‘A’ (2015), SA Schools (2016) and SA Under 20 (2018). The lanky lock/flank has had an injury riddled senior career which kept him off the field for long periods of time but he remains a very talented loosie in the Marvin Orie (his brother in-law) mould.

Smid is another talented player who has mostly been overlooked by the Lions. He was hailed as a talented player and leader at junior level, captaining Wits in the Varsity Cup. After no play time ensued with the Lions, he joined the Tel Aviv Heat side competing in the Europe Super Cup before returning to the Lions this year.

The Lions announced their new signings of Zebre duo Richard Kriel and Erich Cronje as well as Griquas centre Zander du Plessis and Conraad van Vuuren from the Cheetahs on Tuesday.

Kriel is clearly the replacement for Swanepoel, although he cannot compete with the big boot of the latter, while Du Plessis will be competing with the very talented Lions captain Marius Louw and Manuel Rass for place in the Lions midfield.

Van Vuuren is set to replace Sithole.