Cape Town - Lions coach Swys de Bruin has named his team for Friday's Super Rugby clash against the Chiefs in Hamilton.
Kick-off is at 09:35 (SA time).
No 8 Warren Whiteley is back after a lng injury layoff and resumes the captaincy. The Springboks returns seven weeks after suffering a pectoralis major muscle tear in the match against the Stormers in Cape Town. He joined the Lions last Sunday after passing a fitness test on the Friday.
Other changes to the team that lost 31-20 to the Brumbies in Canberra sees Gianni Lombard replace Elton Jantjies at flyhalf and Ross Cronje coming in for Nic Groom at scrumhalf.
Sylvia Mahuza starts at fullback in place of Andries Coetzee, while Robbie Coetzee replaces Malcolm Marx at hooker, with the Springbok star also benched.
Teams:
Chiefs
TBA
Lions
15 Sylvian Mahuza, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Franco Naude, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Sti Sithole
Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Frans Van Wyk, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Andries Coetzee