Lionel Mapoe will start at outside centre for the Lions in Saturday's pre-season friendly against the Bulls in Polokwane.

Mapoe, who sat out last week's matches against the Valke and Leopards due to injury, slots straight back into an experienced starting lineup, with Rohan Janse van Rensburg partnering him in midfield.

Elton Jantjies and Ross Cronjé come in as the halfbacks, while Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck and Courtnall Skosan combine as the back three to complete a close to full-strength back division.

Captain Warren Whiteley leads from the No 8 position with Jaco Kriel and Warwick Tecklenburg as the flanks. In the front, Jacques van Rooyen and Julian Redelinghuys scrum down either side of hooker Robbie Coetzee, and in the second row Franco Mostert is joined by Andries Ferreira. 

On an equally impressive bench, coach Johan Ackermann has named 13 players who are all set to get game time against the Bulls.

Lions – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Subs: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Martin Muller, 21 Ruan Ackermann, 22 Stephan de Witt, 23 Ruan Lerm, 24 Faf de Klerk, 25 Howard Mnisi, 26 Stokkies Hanekom, 27 Anthony Volmink, 28 Jaco van der Walt.

Photo: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images