Durban – Springbok pair Patrick Lambie and Francois Steyn will get their first taste of pre-season action when the Sharks face the Lions in their final Super Rugby warm-up at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Friday.
Lambie, who is returning from some time off when he got married, has been named at flyhalf by new director of rugby Jake White.
White has promised to use Lambie in that position despite the player being utilised in alternate positions by national coach Heyneke Meyer.
Meanwhile, Steyn is back from injury to take his place at centre in the starting XV, which also features SP Marais and Anton Bresler, who also returns from long stints on the sidelines.
There are 10 Springboks in total in the run-on team, which White said earlier in the week, would be similar to the one that would do duty in the opening Super Rugby game of the season against the Bulls next Saturday.
Ryan Kankowski, back from a spell in Japan playing club rugby, has been named on the bench.
Sharks team: SP Marais, Odwa Ndungane, Paul Jordaan, Francois Steyn, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Tera Mtembu, Jean Deysel, Marcell Coetzee, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Anton Bresler, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis (captain), Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: Monde Hadebe, Dale Chadwick, Lourens Adriaanse, Stephan Lewies, Jacques Botes, Ryan Kankowski, Charl McLeod, Fred Zeilinga, Heimar Williams, S'bura Sithole, Jaco van Tonder. – Sapa