Ackermann unleashed on the Cheetahs
Ackermann, who has played off the bench during the Lions' three-match tour of Japan and New Zealand, will start at flank in the place of Warwick Tecklenburg.
Tecklemburg has been slapped with one-week SANZAAR ban for 'recklessly' charging into a ruck against the Highlanders last week.
In other changes Ackermann Snr brought back a host of his big guns.
Midfielder Lionel Mapoe, fullback Andries Coetzee, prop Dylan Smith and hooker Malcolm Marx are all in the starting line-up.
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Armand Van Der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Dillon Smit, Jaco van der Walt, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
Date: Saturday, March 19
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT()
Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
