Malcolm Marx has been named at hooker in one of three rotational changes to the Lions' starting lineup for Saturday's clash against the Chiefs in Hamilton.
The team ground out a 26-13 bonus-point win against the Sunwolves in Tokyo last weekend, but coach Johan Ackermann was not impressed by the display.
'We were not happy with how we performed against the Sunwolves and there was a lot we worked on this week. Our scrums and our one-on-one tackling must improve,' he said.
This prompted two front-row changes with Marx starting at hooker ahead of Robbie Coetzee and Dylan Smith at loosehead prop in place of Ruan Dreyer.
In the only backline change, Harold Vorster will start at inside centre at the expense of Howard Mnisi, who drops to the bench. Hooker Akker van der Merwe, prop Corné Fourie and loose forward Fabian Booysen are the new bench additions.
The Lions' jersey numbers for this match will be blue and white in support of golfer and ardent Lions fan Ernie Els's foundation, Els for Autism.
Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrink, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith.
Subs: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Fabian Booysen, 21 Jaco van der Walt, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
Photo: Koki Nagahama/Getty Images
