While log-standings and results don’t suggest it, the Lions have one of the more solid scrums in domestic rugby at the moment.

It is an area where the Cheetahs loosehead, Boan Venter, has been excelling at in recent times, and last week he even forced the Bulls to replace the Springbok tighthead, Marcel van der Merwe.

The other former Cheetah and Springbok did, however, take ownership of the scrum later in the match. Venter told OFM Sport that he looks forward to another tough battle in the oven. “It was quite a nice battle and it was great to be able to measure myself against a Springbok. 

“I’m grateful for the opportunity, but the scrum remains an eight-man job which requires for each of the players to buy-in.

“I’m looking forward to this weekend’s game as well. The Lions are definitely one of the strongest packs in the competition, and I look forward to the battle in the oven.

“The set-piece battle will be important and we can improve at lineout time.

“Having said that, I have faith in the boys and if we stick together we can defiantly pull this one through.”

Saturday’s Battle of the Cats at the Toyota Stadium kicks off at 16:30.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport