The struggling Lions are expected to be without former All Blacks flyhalf Carlos Spencer for their Super 14 clash with the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.

The match looms as a lopsided affair with Lions coach Dick Muir making eight changes, including naming an entire new front row, from the side that lost to the Hurricanes in Wellington last week.

The Johannesburg-based side are still chasing their first win for 2010 and the mercurial Spencer will be a big loss, having presented an attacking threat amid the Lions' defensive deficiencies in the first three rounds.

He has been bracketed on the bench after picking up an injury against the Hurricanes and promising 22-year-old former Bulls player Burton Francis takes over at five eighth.

While the Lions are second last on the competition ladder they have showed a willingness to run the ball - though it will take a while to live down being on the losing end of that record-breaking 72-65 loss to the Chiefs at home.

The Lions can at least boast two bonus points this season while the seventh-placed Brumbies have none.

"Dick Muir will have his reasons for making the changes but we're expecting a very similar style of team to turn up," said Brumbies coach Andy Friend said.

Muir insists changes to the Lions' front row are down to rotation policy rather than form.

JC Janse van Rensburg, Charles Emslie and Kevin Buys take over from Heinke van der Merwe, Hannes Franklin and Ross Geldenhuys respectively.

Lock Willem Stoltz replaces Franco van der Merwe after returning from suspension while centre Deon van Rensburg has returned to South Africa after tearing ligaments in his thumb. Van Rensburg is replaced in the midfield by Walter Venter.

Fullback Earl Rose has also moved to the bench, replaced by Michael Killian, while Dusty Noble takes over from Wandile Mjekevu on the wing.

The Brumbies will go into the clash with an unchanged line-up from the side that beat the Stormers in Cape Town last week.

The Lions will also be looking to break their Canberra hoodoo, having never won there in eight attempts.

The Brumbies announced on Thursday they had re-signed lock Ben Hand for a further two years.

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