Rynhardt Jonker and Henco van Wyk team up in midfield with Marius Louw, who last week partnered the latter in Italy, dropping to the bench.
The conditions the Lions encountered in Italy last week prevented them from going through the gears in attack and again rain is predicted for match day.
It may not be as challenging as it was in Parma a week ago but the Lions look likely to rely heavily on Wolhuter, scrumhalf Morne van den Berg and fullback Quan Horn to get them into the right areas of the field.
The Lions, the stats suggest, boast the more consistent scrum thus far in this season's competition.
Their set pieces and a pinpoint kicking game can provide them a foothold in the game.
However, Leinster, who had 17 players named in Ireland's squad for their November internationals, have been in irrepressible form this season.
They are blemish-free with bonus point wins from all five their matches thus far and they will have designs on extending that run this weekend against the team ranked second on the table.
Lions go pragmatic route for Leinster
Wolhuter's boot preferred over Nohamba's inventiveness in top of the table clash
The Lions have gone the pragmatic route in their quest to rattle Leinster's cage in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash in Dublin on Saturday.
Having proved his fitness last week, Kade Wolhuter steps into the flyhalf position with the implicit task of providing his team favourable territory against the Irish juggernauts at the Aviva Stadium.
The Lions opted for Wolhuter's educated boot over the rabbit out-of-the-hat trickery of Sanele Nohamba who again starts on the bench.
Last weekend Nohamba again made an impact as the Lions sought to close out their clash in driving rain against Zebre in Parma.
Up front the visitors will be bolstered by the return of tight head prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye who is back from the concussion he suffered against the Dragons a fortnight ago.
Rynhardt Jonker and Henco van Wyk team up in midfield with Marius Louw, who last week partnered the latter in Italy, dropping to the bench.
The conditions the Lions encountered in Italy last week prevented them from going through the gears in attack and again rain is predicted for match day.
It may not be as challenging as it was in Parma a week ago but the Lions look likely to rely heavily on Wolhuter, scrumhalf Morne van den Berg and fullback Quan Horn to get them into the right areas of the field.
The Lions, the stats suggest, boast the more consistent scrum thus far in this season's competition.
Their set pieces and a pinpoint kicking game can provide them a foothold in the game.
However, Leinster, who had 17 players named in Ireland's squad for their November internationals, have been in irrepressible form this season.
They are blemish-free with bonus point wins from all five their matches thus far and they will have designs on extending that run this weekend against the team ranked second on the table.
The manner in which they have dispatched their opponents must be a rich source of confidence.
Having fallen short in the Champions Cup and the URC last season, Leinster stood accused of perhaps compromising their attacking instincts for a strategy rooted more in defence.
Leinster this season, however, comfortably top the try-scoring charts and their defence has also stood firm with Jacques Nienaber providing a guiding hand.
The Lions have also tightened things up which is perhaps the biggest contributing factor to their lofty log position.
Leinster, the Lions and the Bulls have conceded just 10 tries thus far in this campaign but you sense the Joburg team will have to pull out all the stops to keep the Dublin side at bay.
Leinster's relentless phase play overwhelms teams.
Their precision in retaining possession makes them a compelling force in attack.
That danger is not confined to their backs. It will aid the Lions' cause if they can prevent RG Snyman from making outrageous offloads.
Lions team to play Leinster
Quan Horn; Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk, Rynhardt Jonker, Edwill van der Merwe; Kade Wolhuter, Morne van den Berg; Francke Horn (captain), Jarod Cairns, JC Pretorius; Reinhard Nothnagel, Ruben Schoeman; Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, Juan Schoeman. Substitutes: Franco Marais, Heiko Pohlmann, RF Schoeman, Ruan Delport, Renzo du Plessis; Sanele Nohamba, Marius Louw, Erich Cronje.
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