The Lions appear likely to be without a trio of key forwards, including captain Reinhard Nothnagel, in the upcoming clash against the DHL Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.

Having suffered a 37-10 loss to the Sharks in Durban, the Lions had further salt thrown into their wounds by suffering injuries to three members of their pack.

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Lions captain and lock Nothnagel had to be helped off the field in the second half at Kings Park, while there is also concern over the status of front rowers Sti Sithole and PJ Botha.

According to Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen, Nothnagel injured his ankle, while loosehead prop Sithole suffered a knee injury and hooker Botha had to go off in the first half with a broken nose.

The trio will undergo scans early this week to determine the extent of their injuries, but it doesn’t appear likely that any of the three will be available to tackle the Stormers this weekend.

This comes as the Lions prepare to face a lineup that will be stacked with Springbok forwards, including Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Joseph Dweba and Marvin Orie.

“I think we will be put under similar pressure when we take on a Springbok-laden Stormers team,” said Van Rooyen after the match. “There is not much time to fix everything, but we have to sort it out.”

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The Stormers will be fired up as they look to finish 2022 unbeaten at home against the side that was the last to beat the Vodacom United Rugby Championship title-holders at DHL Stadium, back in December 2021.

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