Combrinck returns to the Lions starting line up

Lions head coach Swys de Bruin has made a number of changes to his side for their first tour match in Australiasia.

Veteran centre Lionel Mapoe will celebrate his 100th Super Rugby match for the Lions this weekend when they take the field against the Brumbies at the GIO Stadium in Canberra on Saturday.

Mapoe, who has 116 Super Rugby caps in total having played for two other franchises in his career (The Cheetahs & Bulls), has scored 32 Super Rugby tries in total.

Malcolm Marx will lead a very experienced side on the field with seven players boasting 60 Super Rugby caps and more in the starting XV. The most experienced player in the side is Elton Jantjies who has racked up an impressive 126 Super Rugby caps (adding his 13 Super matches for the Stormers), since joining the franchise in 2011.

This followed by Andries Coetzee (86), Nic Groom (70), Stephan Lewies (69), Ruan Combrinck (68) and Marx (61) while Ross Cronje adds 81 caps from the bench.