Liam Belcher captains Cardiff Rugby as they kick-off the BKT United Rugby Championship against the Lions, with three summer signings handed competitive debuts.
Javan Sebastian and Taine Basham are both named in the starting line-up for the Arms Park showdown on Saturday night (7:45pm), with Ioan Lloyd on the bench.
Sebastian starts in the front-row alongside Belcher and Rhys Barratt, while Josh McNally and Teddy Williams continue their familiar partnership at lock.
Basham is handed the number seven jersey for his first competitive appearance, with Alex Mann and Alun Lawrence making up the back-row.
Behind the pack, there are plenty of regular partnerships as Johan Mulder and Callum Sheedy combine at half-back, and Ben Thomas and Harri Millard in midfield.
Tom Bowen, Josh Adams and Cam Winnett, continue from the pre-season victory over Leinster, and link up in an exciting back-three.
Cardiff go into the encounter just days after the departure of head coach Matt Sherratt to Wales. The Blue & Blacks will be led by the existing assistant coaches, Corniel van Zyl, Gethin Jenkins, Jonny Goodridge and Scott Andrews.
It’s business as usual – Corniel van Zyl
Van Zyl said: “Everything happened pretty quickly but we have prepared as normal for the Lions. It’s business as usual.
“We have a good, experienced coaching set-up and there was a cake that was cut in five pieces, now it’s the same cake cut in four. We will take more responsibility in certain aspects of the game.
“The players have been really positive, they just move on and project all of their energy forward.
“There is no time in the game to look back and ask why, it’s just about projecting all our energy forward. We all believe in the same vision that we had with Matt, so it will just continue and we will drive standards.
“We are all fully focused on Saturday night and are hoping for a great turn out at the Arms Park. We had brilliant support last year, we are hoping for a big crowd and we will need them right behind us against a quality Lions team.
“The Lions pushed us all the way last year and they will be hugely motivated after last week’s Currie Cup final. We need to hit the ground running, put as much of our game on the pitch as possible and give our supporters something to get excited about.”
Cardiff have named a replacements bench with plenty of experience, with fellow Wales internationals Evan Lloyd, Keiron Assiratti, Aled Davies and Jacob Beetham joining debutant Lloyd.
Cardiff Rugby team versus Lions on Saturday, September 27 (19:45).
Cardiff Rugby: Cam Winnett; Josh Adams, Harri Millard, Ben Thomas, Tom Bowen; Callum Sheedy, Johan Mulder; Rhys Barratt, Liam Belcher (capt), Javan Sebastian; Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Taine Basham, Alun Lawrence.
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Danny Southworth, Keiron Assiratti, Ben Donnell, Dan Thomas, Aled Davies, Ioan Lloyd, Jacob Beetham.