JC van Rensburg will lead the Lions in their first Currie Cup game in 2012, as he runs onto the field in the number 1 jersey against the Cheetahs on Saturday afternoon.
Pat Cilliers and Elton Jantjies are both missing due to Bok commitments, meaning start at tighthead and flyhalf for Jacobie Adriaanse and Butch James respectively. Otherwise, the side is pretty close to Super Rugby strength, if you ignore the fact that they’ve demoted their regular captain and sacked three quarters of their coaching staff since the end of that competition.
Michaelhouse boys Ross and Guy Cronje will look to make their respective Currie Cup debuts for their new province, if they get a run off the bench.
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Waylon Murray, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Derick Minnie, 7 Joshua Strauss, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco Van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC van Rensburg (captain).
Substitutes: 16 Francois Du Toit, 17 CJ Van der Linde, 18 Willie Britz, 19 Warren Whiteley, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Guy Cronje, 22 Ruan Combrinck.

Super Rugby Strength… 😆