Springbok prop Boan Venter is set to make his Lions debut off the bench against the All Blacks in the final Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour match at Ellis Park on Tuesday evening.

The former Edinburgh front-ranker will run out for the first time at his new franchise in a powerful match-day 23 named by Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen.

Along with Venter, Bok utility back Quan Horn has also been released from camp and will wear the No 15 jersey against the All Blacks.

Van Rooyen has opted for a six-two split on the bench, with SA U21 scrumhalf Haashim Pead named among the replacements after Bok No 9 Morné van den Berg was not released.

Nico Steyn will start at scrumhalf alongside flyhalf Chris Smith.

HERE’S YOUR 10bet LIONS. 🦁🔥

The team ready to take on the @AllBlacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.#RGR26 #LionsPride #ForOurCity pic.twitter.com/a2oCubaxrw

— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) August 24, 2026

Captain Francke Horn will lead the team from the base of the scrum with fellow loose-forwards Siba Mahashe and Batho Hlekani.

The Lions will field a powerful front row in SJ Kotze, PJ Botha, and Sebastian Lombard.

In the second row behind them will be Etienne Oosthuizen and Ruan Delport.

The Lions enjoyed a successful URC campaign last season, recording 10 wins and a draw from their 18 regular-season matches in 2025/26, collecting 54 competition points and qualifying for the playoffs.

Perhaps even more significantly, the Johannesburg side claimed the URC’s South African Shield for the first time, finishing ahead of their domestic rivals across the South African derby matches.

FULL LIONS 23-PLAYER MATCH-DAY SQUAD

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

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

Springbok prop Boan Venter is set to make his Lions debut off the bench against the All Blacks in the final Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour match at Ellis Park on Tuesday evening.

The former Edinburgh front-ranker will run out for the first time at his new franchise in a powerful match-day 23 named by Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen.

Along with Venter, Bok utility back Quan Horn has also been released from camp and will wear the No 15 jersey against the All Blacks.

Van Rooyen has opted for a six-two split on the bench, with SA U21 scrumhalf Haashim Pead named among the replacements after Bok No 9 Morné van den Berg was not released.

Nico Steyn will start at scrumhalf alongside flyhalf Chris Smith.

HERE’S YOUR 10bet LIONS. 🦁🔥

The team ready to take on the @AllBlacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.#RGR26 #LionsPride #ForOurCity pic.twitter.com/a2oCubaxrw

— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) August 24, 2026

Captain Francke Horn will lead the team from the base of the scrum with fellow loose-forwards Siba Mahashe and Batho Hlekani.

The Lions will field a powerful front row in SJ Kotze, PJ Botha, and Sebastian Lombard.

In the second row behind them will be Etienne Oosthuizen and Ruan Delport.

The Lions enjoyed a successful URC campaign last season, recording 10 wins and a draw from their 18 regular-season matches in 2025/26, collecting 54 competition points and qualifying for the playoffs.

Perhaps even more significantly, the Johannesburg side claimed the URC’s South African Shield for the first time, finishing ahead of their domestic rivals across the South African derby matches.

FULL LIONS 23-PLAYER MATCH-DAY SQUAD

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

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