IT'S an indication of how seriously the Stormers are viewing tomorrow's Super rugby clash against the Lions that coach Allister Coetzee has picked a full-strength team. It's a luxury Lions coach Johann Ackermann doesn't have - he will be without star Lionel Mapoe (although he has faith in rookie Harold Vorster at No13).For Coetzee, it means he would need to rest key players, including No8 Duane Vermeulen, flank Schalk Burger and lock Eben Etzebeth, come round 16 against the Sharks next week.The trio are due one more week off as part of a resting agreement with the South African Rugby Union. But Coetzee's logic is sound - beat the Lions and the SA Conference title is guaranteed for a third time, with a home play-off.Coetzee also hinted that he might ignore that directive if things don't work out as planned, but that is sure to meet with angry letters from the other four franchises, who have generally complied with Saru's request this season.Victory won't necessarily mean the Stormers secure second place on the overall standings, which comes with a home semifinal. Australia's Brumbies and Waratahs could still move ahead of the Cape side."Those three (Vermeulen, Burger and Etzebeth) are playing this weekend and we will decide how to use them next week after the permutations have played out this weekend," Coetzee said."It's not a sin if they play throughout. Winning the conference title is the most important and we can do it this weekend."There are three changes to the team that beat the Cheetahs 42-12 last week with Burger returning in place of Nizaam Carr, who drops to the bench and Sikhumbuzo Notshe missing out altogether.Tighthead Frans Malherbe returns to the starting team with Vincent Koch dropping to the bench in a rotational switch, while hooker Bongi Mbonambi returns in place of injured Scarra Ntubeni.Hooker Michael Willemse and utility back Jaco Taute are on the bench after doing duty in the Vodacom Cup final last weekend."Against the Lions you need to have a solid bench but you also need mobility towards the end. Frans (Malherbe) will do the hard yards early on and then Vincent (Koch) adds more mobility. That's the same for Nizaam coming off the bench, too."Ackermann's men hold the outside lane in the race for the Super rugby play-offs and must win, and hope the Sharks do them a big favour next weekend.Mapoe hurt his knee in the 27-22 win over the Waratahs last Saturday, meaning he will be absent for the Lions' defining encounter after contributing so well to get them into this position.He watched from the grandstand yesterday as his teammates put the finishing touches to their preparations in training at Ellis Park.The Lions seemed gripped by play-off jitters as players, coach and management did their best to play down the significance of the clash against the Stormers.Captain Warren Whiteley said: "We are going to approach this game as we do any other game."But for the first time there's something to play for in the last game of the season - an alien feeling when they finished 13th, 12th, 14th, 12th, 14th, 14th, 15th and 12th in the past eight seasons...