Butch James: Will captain the Lions
Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann made eight changes to his starting XV for Saturday's vital Currie Cup clash with the Blue Bulls in Pretoria.
With first-choice skipper JC Janse van Rensburg rested for the weekend, fly-half Butch James will for the first time in his illustrious career captain a side at professional level.
Ackermann decided to give his key players a rest ahead of next week's semi-final as they have already booked their place for the play-offs no matter this weekend's permutations.
The Lions mentor picked only two of his returning Springbok players with Pat Cilliers replacing Jacobie Adriaanse at prop while CJ van der Linde replaces JC Janse van Rensburg at loose head.
The side's star pivot Elton Jantjies will be given an opportunity to face his Bulls counterpart Morne Steyn off the bench.
Lions stalwart Franco van der Merwe will move to the bench with Paul Willemse taking his place at lock in the run-on side.
In the back-line Anthony Vomink will receive a starting berth in the place of Ruan Combrinck who shifts to full-back in the place of Andries Coetzee.
Ackermann made wholesale changes to his loose trio with Cobus Grobbelaar, Jaco Kriel and Warren Whiteley being replaced by Jaco Kriel, Derick Minnie and WIllie Britz respectively.
Golden Lions: 15 Ruan Combrinck, 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Deon van Rensburg, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Butch James (c), 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 CJ van der Linde.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Paul Willemse, 19 Warren Whiteley, 20 Whestley Moolman, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Lionel Mapoe.
Date: Saturday, October 13
Kick-off: 19:10 local (18:10 BST, 17:10 GMT)
Venue: Coca-Cola Park Stadium, Johannnesburg
Referee: Craig Joubert
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