The Lions boast eight Springboks in their starting line-up to face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Warren Whiteley leads an experienced side on the field which will see Lionel Mapoe in the position of right wing as cover for the injured Ruan Combrinck, who is still recovering from a shoulder operation.
With Mapoe covering the wing, Howard Mnisi will take over as outside centre and partners up with line-breaking extraordinaire Rohan Janse van Rensburg in midfield.
Coach Johan Ackermann's son Ruan Ackermann starts at seven in the place of the retired Warwick Tecklenburg in the loose trio, joined by Springboks Whiteley and Jaco Kriel.
In the front-row, with Julian Redelinghuys still injured, Ruan Dreyer will take his place in the three jersey while he binds up with Malcolm Marx and Jacques van Rooyen.
On the bench, replacement prop Johannes Jonker will make his debut if he takes the field and Blitzbokke star Kwagga Smith could add some pace to the Lions attack off the bench.
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 (c), 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Replacements: 16 Akker vd Merwe, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ross Cronjé, 22 Harold Vorster, 23 Jaco van der Walt
Date: Saturday, February 25
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 15:05 local (13:05 GMT)
Referee: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
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