Experienced utility back Veroeshka Grain will captain DHL Western Province Women and earn her 50th cap in the clash with Mastercard Golden Lions Women at Athlone Stadium on Friday.

The match kicks off at 14h30 and will be played as a curtain-raiser for the Currie Cup game between DHL Western Province and Fidelity ADT Lions, which gets underway at 17h05.

There are a number of changes to the DHL Western Province Women’s team as they look to make it three consecutive wins this season and keep their place at the top of the standings.

Grain is at outside centre and will form a new midfield partnernship with Sesethu Mtshazi.

Xola Masakala is at fullback, with Voice Ndou on the right wing, while there is also a new halfback combination of scrumhalf Lauren Adams and flyhalf Selladean Pietersen.

In the forward packtighthead prop Nomkhitha Chuba and hooker Onwaba Mdzanga both come into the starting line-up, while lock Zandiswa Xozwa and flank Anelisiwe Mxabo also get an opportunity to start.

DHL Western Province Women: 15 Xola Masakala, 14 Voice Ndou, 13 Veroeshka Grain (captain), 12 Sesethu Mtshazi, 11 Alichia Arries, 10 Selladean Pietersen, 9 Lauren Adams, 8 Nokubonga Siko, 7 Anelisiwe Mxabo, 6 Lihle Mzimkhulu, 5 Zandiswa Xozwa, 4 Thandile Mazwi, 3 Nomkhitha Chuba, 2 Onwaba Mdzanga, 1 Vernique Afrika.
Replacements: 16 Bubele Caku-Caku, 17 Alizwa Ganyathi, 18 Jordan Konnight, 19 Ncediswa Mahijana, 20 Cwenga Gaqa, 21 Alicia Willemse, 22 Megan Kannemeyer, 23 Chuma Qawe.