The Lions have named a matchday-23 strengthened by a few Vodacom United Rugby Championship regulars for the Currie Cup clash with the Pumas in Johannesburg on Friday.
Veteran hooker Jaco Visagie will captains a Lions team that features 11 Vodacom URC players in the starting lineup who recently did duty in the final round last week against Zebre.
Young prop Rhynardt Rijnsburger, lock Ruben Schoeman, No 8 Francke Horn, flyhalf Gianni Lombard, wing Rabz Maxwane, centre Manuel Rass and fullback Andries Coetzee are all on deck to lend a hand as the Lions look to bounce back from three successive losses.
There is also a first Currie Cup start for former Blitzboks star JC Pretorius, who dons the No 6 jersey.
Kick-off for Friday’s match is at 5pm.
Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Prince Nkabinde, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Travis Gordon, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Darrien-Lane Landsberg, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Jaco Visagie (c), 1 Rhynardt Rijnsburger.
Subs: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Kayden Kiewit, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Raynard Roets, 20 Ruhan Straeuli, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Vaughen Isaacs, 23 Stean Pienaar.
Photo: Andy Watts/BackpagePix