Cape Town - Lions coach Johan Ackermann has named a 40-man squad for the 2017 Super Rugby competition.
No 8 Warren Whiteley retains the captaincy of the side he led to last year’s final, when the Lions lost 20-3 to the Hurricanes in Wellington.
There are nine Springboks in the squad, namely Whiteley, wing Ruan Combrinck, scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg, flyhalf Elton Jantjies, flank Jaco Kriel, centre Lionel Mapoe, hooker Malcolm Marx and lock Franco Mostert.
One Blitzbok, loose forward Kwagga Smith, was also named.
The Lions start their Super Rugby campaign away to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on February 25.
Lions’ 40-man Super Rugby squad:
Backs
Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Madosh Tambwe, Sylvian Mahuza, Anthony Volmink, Harold Vorster, Courtnall Skosan, Lionel Mapoe, Jacques Nel, Howard Mnisi, Hacjivah Dayimani, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Elton Jantjies, Shaun Reynolds, Jaco van der Walt, Ross Cronje, Faf de Klerk, Dillon Smit
Forwards
Warren Whiteley, Justin Ackerman, Ruan Ackermann, Fabian Booysen, Kwagga Smith, Kyle Brink, Jaco Kriel, Marvin Orie, Robert Kruger, Franco Mostert, Lourens Erasmus, Andries Ferreira, Ruan Dreyer, Andries Jonker, Dylan Smith, Sti Sithole, Corne Fourie, Jacques van Rooyen, Henco van Wyk, Robbie Coetzee, Malcolm Marx, Armand van der Merwe