Stean Pienaar will start at right wing in a starting XV which see JP Smith and Carlu Sadie pack down in the front row in concert with hooker PJ Botha.

Earlier this week, Emirates Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys emphasized on the need to execute effectively on the day, especially against a team like Benetton, who have the ability to catch teams off-guard.

“The focus for us this week has been on better decision-making and keeping our structures when it comes to the fundamentals of the game which could ultimately give us the edge over the weekend,” explained the former Bok prop.

While winning is key, Redelinghuys believes laying the foundation and sticking to core processes will go a long way towards the team’s success: “We all know rugby is rewarding when you win, but to focus on the result won’t necessarily do the job for you. Our processes are what is key for us not only ahead of Saturday, but as building blocks for the future.”

Kick-off at Emirates Airline Park is at 14h00 and the match will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Emirates Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Emmanuel Tshituka, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Francke Horn, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 PJ Botha, 1 JP Smith. Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Ruan Venter, 20 Sibusiso Sangweni, 21 Andre Warner, 22 Manuel Rass, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel.