Lions name strongest side for Bulls derby

Johannesburg - The Lions have named their strongest side for Saturday's clash against the Bulls at Ellis Park. 

With the Lions having returned from a three-week long tour in Australia and with the Bulls struggling, this may have been an opportunity for coach Johan Ackermann to have rested some of his star players. 

He didn't, and the only changes come in the front row where Jacques van Rooyen, Malcolm Marx and Ruan Dreyer come into in the starting line-up.

Scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, meanwhile, has been named on the bench.

De Klerk missed the last two games of the Lions' Australian tour, continuing what has been a tough season for him after making his Springbok debut last year. 

De Klerk has subsequently been left out of Springbok coach Allister Coetzee's training squads this year, while at the Lions he has looked on from the sidelines as Ross Cronje has made the No 9 jersey his own. 

Kick-off on Saturday is at 17:15.

Teams:

Lions

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen

Substitutes: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Jacques Nel, 23 Anthony Volmink 

Bulls

15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Sibahle Maxwane, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Hanro Liebenberg (captain), 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Lizo Gqoboka