Backs Wandisile Simelane and Andries Coetzee have been left out of the Lions 25-man touring squad to Argentina ahead of their Vodacom Super Rugby opener against the Jaguares on Sunday.

Coach Ivan van Rooyen has selected a strong squad for his first Super Rugby match in charge.

Veteran prop Jannie du Plessis is in line his first Super Rugby match since 2015 after he made the cut.

Enigmatic flyhalf Jantjies, who captained the Lions in their SuperHero Sunday match against the Vodacom Bulls, is in the touring party but there has been no confirmation around the captaincy for the official tournament.

Lions squad – Hacjivah Dayimani, Jannie du Plessis, Jan-Henning Campher, Pieter Jansen, Len Massyn, Marvin Orie, Carlu Sadie, Marnus Schoeman, Sti Sithole, Dylan Smith, Vincent Tshituka, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Frans van Wyk, Ruan Vermaak, Tyrone Green, Elton Jantjies, Dan Kriel, Duncan Matthews, Manuel Rass, Shaun Reynolds, Courtnall Skosan, Tiaan Swanepoel, Morne van den Berg, Andre Warner.

Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix