Sarel Pretorius is one of the key men for Royal Highveld

The British and Irish Lions will face 11 players from Vodacom Cup champions Griquas in their opening match of their South Africa tour on Saturday.

The Royal Highveld XV team includes Cheetahs scrum-half Sarel Pretorius and centre Deon van Rensburg, who have both featured in the Super 14 competition.

The Vodacom Cup is the third tier competition in South African rugby behind the Super 14 and the Currie Cup.

The two teams will meet at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.

"The Lions must know they are coming to South Africa for a first match that won't be easy," said Highveld coach Chaka Willemse.

"We will be going all out to win."

In addition to Pretorius and van Rensburg, winger Bjorn Basson, fly-half Naas Olivier, scrum-half Sarel Pretorius and prop Bees Roux have appeared for the Cheetahs.

The team will be captained by Leopards flanker Wilhelm Koch, a relative of Springbok prop Chris Koch who played against the Lions 54 years ago.

Lions coach Ian McGeechan will name his starting line-up on Thursday.

Royal Highveld XV:

Russell Jeacocks (Leopards); Egon Seconds (Griquas), Deon van Rensburg (Leopards), Hanno Coetzee (Griquas), Bjorn Basson (Griquas); Naas Olivier (Griquas), Sarel Pretorius (Griquas); Albertus Buckle (Griquas), Rayno Barnes (Griquas), Bees Roux (Griquas), Rudi Mathee (Leopards), Jacques Lombard (Griquas), Wilhelm Koch (Leopards, capt), Devon Raubenheimer (Griquas), Jonathan Makoena (Griquas).
Replacements: Pellow van der Westhuizen (Leopards), Stef Roberts (Griquas), Rynard Landman (Leopards), RW Kember (Leopards), Jacques Coetzee (Pumas), Riaan Viljoen (Griquas), Jovan Bowles (Bulldogs)

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