It has been over a year since the Lions beat a South African side in the URC, and forwards coach Albert van den Berg acknowledges it has reached the point of being a "mental block".
The Joburg side has an added level of confidence as they head into this game on the back of a four-match unbeaten streak at home in all competition and will look to take that momentum into the local derby.
He donned a Springbok jersey on 43 occasions and his fearsome physique led to him being dubbed "The Bone Collector", but Willem Alberts is - by default - already skating on thin ice at Ellis Park.
The Lions have surprised with a superb URC tour that culminated in three victories, in the process raising real hope that a talented squad finally has the ability to arrest years of underachievement.