Courtnall Skosan has been promoted to the Lions’ starting XV for the Super Rugby final against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.
Skosan came on at half-time for Aphiwe Dyantyi in last weekend’s 44-26 semi-final win against the Waratahs and this time will start ahead of Dyantyi, who has been battling a hamstring niggle in the build-up to the game.
In the only other change to the starting side, Cyle Brink replaces Lourens Erasmus at openside flanker.
Lions coach Swys de Bruin said it was an “honour” to play the Crusaders in the final.
“They’re a very good team and they deserve to be in first place,” he told reporters in Christchurch.
“We’ll have to bring our A-game and more. Apart from that we have a huge respect for them and what they stand for and how they play. It will be an honour for us to play against them.”
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Marvin Orie, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Replacements: 16 Corne Fourie, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 23 Howard Mnisi
Date: Saturday, August 4
Venue: AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Kick-off: 19:35 local (08:35 BST, 07:35 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Glen Jackson, Nic Berry
TMO: Shane McDermott