The Brumbies are bracing themselves for a fired-up Lions in the Super 14 clash in Johannesburg on Sunday (2am AEDT) following the South Africans side suspending their forwards coach this week over racial abuse allegations.

The sixth-placed Canberra side begin a three-match tour of the Republic at Ellis Park against the perennial cellar-dwellers, but Brumbies coach Andy Friend is expecting an intimidating welcome.

"It always seems to happen, as soon as you lose your coach or there's issues within the team it can definitely galvanise teams, so we're expecting a very fired-up Lions team at Ellis Park," Friend told AAP on Friday.

"The Brumbies have never had an easy game here, it's always been difficult so we're expecting the exact same thing tomorrow night.

"It's an imposing ground, they're a quality football side and it will be a tough night for us."

Lions forwards coach Leon Boshoff reportedly targeted his side's black players in a verbal spray following last week's 56-18 mauling by the Stormers, saying despite their "poor performances they would go far because of their skin colour".

The Brumbies arrived in Jo'burg on Monday, taking a couple of days to overcome jetlag and acclimatise to the 1,800m altitude of the Highveld.

They go into the game with a 3-1 record for the season, having dealt neighbours the NSW Waratahs their first defeat, 21-11 last Friday.

"We showed the right attitude in that game, that was the most important thing," Friend said.

"We left that game with some more confidence in our game structure, as well as a real belief that if we do prepare properly for games we can play some really good rugby.

"That was a good way to leave Australia."

Flanker George Smith will captain the side in the absence of regular skipper Stephen Hoiles with a knee injury, with 2008 and current Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock preferring to remain one of the troops.

"George, with that captaincy there, will be able to offer his view on things, which he probably doesn't do naturally," Friend said.

Four-Test prop Ben Alexander will celebrate a new contract with his first Super 14 start at the expense of benched loosehead Nic Henderson.

"He's given us a lot of impact off the bench ... I just need to see Ben start, see whether he gives us that same impact," Friend said.

"It's nothing that Nic's done wrong, it's just that Ben's given us four performances you just can't ignore."

Julian Salvi replaces Hoiles at No.8, while forward Shawn Mackay is set to make his Super 14 debut after being named on the bench.

Brumbies: Mark Gerrard, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock, Tyrone Smith, Francis Fainifo, Christian Lealiifano, Josh Holmes, Julian Salvi, George Smith (capt), Peter Kimlin, Mark Chisholm, Ben Hand, Guy Shepherdson, Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander. Res: Huia Edmonds, Nic Henderson, Sitaleki Timani, Shawn Mackay, Patrick Phibbs, Matt Toomua, Clyde Rathbone.

Lions: Louis Ludik, Ashwin Willemse, Jaque Fourie, Barry Goodes, Henno Mentz, Andre Pretorius, Jano Vermaak, Ernst Joubert, Todd Clever, Cobus Grobbelaar (capt), Jannes Labuschagne, Anton van Zyl, Lawrence Sephaka, Willie Wepener, Heinke van der Merwe. Res: Hans van Dyk, Gert Muller, Gerhard Mostert, Willem Alberts, Chris Jonck, Earl Rose, Shandre Frolick.

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