Cape Town - Kwagga Smith will lead the Lions in their Super Rugby clash against the Sharks at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.

READ: Lions without Whiteley for clash at Kings Park

Star hooker Malcolm Marx will sit this round out to give Jan-Henning Campher a starting berth.

Campher gets his first start for the Lions since joining at the beginning of the year.

Scrumhalf Ross Cronje will undergo a small procedural operation which will keep him out of action for a week.

The Lions, who have contested the last three Super Rugby finals without ever getting over the line, are currently third in the South African conference and ninth overall, just outside of the playoff positions.

Kick-off on Saturday is at 17:15 SA time.

Teams:

Sharks

15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Louis Schreuder (captain), 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Mzamo Majola

Substitutes: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Robert du Preez, 23 Kobus van Wyk

Lions

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi; 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom; 8 Kwagga Smith (captain), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Dylan Smith

Substitutes:16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Reinhard Nothnagel, 20 Vincent Tshituka, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Shaun Reynolds, 23 Tyrone Green