Captain Kieran Read has been left out of the Crusaders side to take on the Lions in Johannesburg in their Super Rugby clash on Sunday morning.
Read suffered a head knock against the Hurricanes last weekend and wasn't cleared to play.
Luke Whitelock will now play at number eight and George Whitelock comes in at six.
Ryan Crotty takes over the captaincy.
Dominic Bird replaces the injured Luke Romano at lock, while 2 backs get their first starts of the season - Kieron Fonotia at centre and Nemani Nadolo on the wing.
Crusaders team to play the Lions:
1. Wyatt Crockett
2. Ben Funnell
3. Owen Franks
4. Dominic Bird
5. Samuel Whitelock
6. George Whitelock (VC)
7. Matt Todd
8. Luke Whitelock
9. Andy Ellis
10. Colin Slade
11. Johnny McNicholl
12. Ryan Crotty (C)
13. Kieron Fonotia
14. Nemani Nadolo
15. Israel Dagg
RESERVES:
16. Corey Flynn
17. Daniel Lienert-Brown
18. Nepo Laulala
19. Jimmy Tupou
20. Jordan Taufua
21. Willi Heinz
22. Tyler Bleyendaal
23. Tom Taylor
