Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has named Ross Cronjé to start at scrumhalf in his Super Rugby team to play the Sharks at Kings Park in Durban.
Cronje comes into the starting line up as one of two changes and is the first time that he starts since sustaining a facial injury in the pre-season friendly in Polokwane against the Bulls.
In the only other change to the Lions side that lost to the Crusaders, Rohan Janse van Rensburg starts at centre for Howard Mnisi.
The changes mean that Faf de Klerk and Mnisi both drop to the replacements bench.
“Both these inclusions are part of the rotational system that we have in place to manage to big squad of players in a very long Super Rugby competition,” said Lions coach Johan Ackermann.
Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylon Smith
Replacements: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Ruan Ackermann, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Jaco van der Walt
