Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has named his team to play the Highlanders after with Jaco Kriel taking over the captaincy for the injured Warren Whiteley.
Whiteley was given until this morning to prove his fitness but he failed the test and Ruan Ackermann starts the match in the No.8 jersey.
The Lions captain injured his calf in last week’s Super Rugby victory over the Crusaders and has not recovered in time for this week.
Whiteley injured his shoulder playing for the Springboks in their third test against Ireland in Port Elizabeth and was not expected back from injury before next week.
Although the Lions captain returned last week he was replaced fairly early in the match.
The Lions will also be without Faf de Klerk’s back up Ross Cronje who captained the side against the Jaguares in Argentina.
Dillon Smit and Steph de Witt have been included in the replacements as Cyle Brink and Cronje miss out.
Lions
1 Dylon Smith , 2 Malcolm Marx , 3 Julian Redelinghuys , 4 Andries Ferreira , 5 Franco Mostert , 6 Jaco Kriel (c), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg , 8 Ruan Ackermann , 9 Faf De Klerk , 10 Elton Jantjies , 11 Courtnal Skosan , 12 Rohan Janse Van Rensburg , 13 Lionel Mapoe , 14 Ruan Combrinck , 15 Andries Coetzee
Replacements: To Follow.
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