Captain Warren Whiteley returns for the Lions when they kick off their Super Rugby campaign against the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Whiteley is finally back after a groin injury that was misdiagnosed, resulting in him being sidelined for nine months instead of the original two and missing most of last season.
The biggest surprise is the inclusion of Harold Vorster at inside centre ahead of Rohan Janse van Rensburg. Meanwhile, Sylvian Mahuza and Aphiwe Dyantyi line up on the wings with Courtnall Skosan only set to return in June.
Jacques van Rooyen, meanwhile, will earn his 50th cap for the Johannesburg outfit when he starts at loosehead prop.
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg
Date: Saturday, February 17
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17:15 local (15:15 GMT)
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs, Cwengile Jadezweni
TMO: Marius Jonker
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