Johannesburg - Lions boss Johan Ackermann has named a 40-man squad for the 2017 Super Rugby season.
Included are no less than nine Springboks, with Warren Whiteley expected to be named captain next week before the Lions kick off their campaign against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Missing from the squad this year are tighthead specialist Julian Redelinghuys and flank Warwick Tecklenburg; the former suffering with a neck injury while the latter has retired from the game.
Also in the mix are rookies, flyhalf Shaun Reynolds, flank Hacjivah Dayimani and wing Madosh Tambwe.
New recruits, props Johannes Jonker, Sti Sithole and Hencus van Wyk, and lock Marvin Orie also add more depth to an already powerful looking squad.
The Lions are well covered in all positions with potentially only the flyhalf berth a problem area should anything happen to Bok No 10 Elton Jantjies. Jaco van der Walt is the obvious back-up but he has not performed up to scratch in recent seasons at No 10, while Reynolds is just a rookie, set to play in his first season in Super Rugby.
Elsewhere fans will feel their team is well stocked as the Lions look to continue from their strong showing of a year ago when they went all the way to the final.
Squad:
Utility backs:
Jaco van der Walt, Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza
Wings:
Ruan Combrinck, Courtnall Skosan, Madosh Tambwe, Anthony Volmink
Centres:
Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Lionel Mapoe, Howard Mnisi, Jacques Nel, Harold Vorster
Flyhalves:
Elton Jantjies, Shaun Reynolds
Scrumhalves:
Faf de Klerk, Dillon Smit, Ross Cronje
Utility forwards:
Ruan Ackermann, Fabian Booysen, Cyle Brink, Robert Kruger
Loose-forwards:
Warren Whiteley, Jaco Kriel, Hacjivah Dayimani, Kwagga Smith
Locks:
Lourens Erasmus, Andries Ferreira, Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie
Props:
Justin Ackermann, Ruan Dreyer, Dylan Smith, Jacques van Rooyen, Corne Fourie, Johannes Jonker, Sti Sithole, Hencus van Wyk
Hookers:
Malcolm Marx, Robbie Coetzee, Akker van der Merwe