Third time lucky for Lions?
The Johannesburg side made the final in the last two seasons of Super Rugby only to lose on both occasions to New Zealand teams.
Last year the Lions had the luxury of hosting the final at Ellis Park. However, they lost 17-25 to a star-studded Crusaders side.
In 2016, the Lions lost to the Hurricanes in the final in Wellington.
De Bruin's 40-man squad for the 2018 edition features a number of familiar faces that played a key role in the Lions' strong performances in recent seasons.
There 12 Springboks in the squad – they are Andries Coetzee, Coutnall Skosan, Malcolm Marx, Ross Cronje, Elton Jantjies, Francois Mostert, Warren Whiteley, Ruan Dreyer, Ruan Combrinck, Jaco Kriel, Lionel Mapoe and Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
Lions squad: Jacobie Adriaanse, Cyle Brink, Robbie Coetzee, Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Ross Cronjé, Ashlon Davids, Hacjivah Dayimani, Ruan Dreyer, Aphiwe Dyanti, Willie Engelbrecht, Lourens Erasmus, Andries Ferreira, Corne Fourie, Rhyno Herbst, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Elton Jantjies, Johannes Jonker, Jaco Kriel, Robert Kruger, Sylvian Mahuza, Lionel Mapoe, Malcolm Marx, Len Massyn, Christiaan Meyer, Howard Mnisi, Francois Mostert, Marvin Orie, Shaun Reynolds, Marnus Schoeman, Sithembiso Sithole, Courtnall Skosan, Dillon Smit, Albertus 'Kwagga' Smith, Dylan Smith, Madosh Tambwe, Jacques van Rooyen, Harold Vorster, Warren Whiteley (captain).
Look who is back in the Lions Den, hard at work preparing for the 2018 Vodacom Super Rugby season with the rest of the Emirates Lions!
Welcome back Elton Jantjies, Ruan Combrinck, Warren Whiteley and Lionel Mapoe. Good to see you in the red and white!#LetsUnite #TheLionsWay pic.twitter.com/vNMeJdIz1D
— Emirates Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) January 29, 2018
