Lions coach Johan Ackermann has named eight Test players and one Super Rugby debutant in his match 23 for Saturday's game against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Captain Warren Whiteley is one of four Springboks in the Lions pack. The others are Jaco Kriel, Franco Mostert and Malcolm Marx.
In the back division, Faf de Klerk, Elton Jantjies, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Lionel Mapoe will line up against the Cheetahs, with Mapoe playing right wing in place of the injured Ruan Combrinck.
Prop Johannes Jonker has been selected among the reserves and will make his debut if he comes off the bench. Kwagga Smith, who has just returned from his stint with the South African Sevens team, is also listed as a substitute.
Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Howard Mnisi, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Harold Vorster, 23 Jaco van der Walt.
Photo: Anne Laing/HSM Images
