The team's coach, Franco Smith, named a Super Rugby strength side for the match at the Boland Stadium in Wellington.

The team's captain, Francois Venter, returns to lead the side, however, Oupa Mohoje, is not available with the player set to be named in the Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship tomorrow.

Smith has named the new boy on the block, prop Tom Botha in the start line-up and he will be packing down at tighthead.

While he played for the side for the full eighty minutes in their friendly match against Toyota Verblitz in Japan, Smith feels that he wasn’t really tested during his first outing for the side.

Having attended school at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, which is close to Wellington, Botha will have some knowledge of the conditions.

Furthermore, there is also a new face on the bench, in the form of Justin Basson. The 22-year-old lock also hails from the region and attended Hoër Landbouskool Boland, Paarl.

Venter told OFM Sport that the Cavaliers proved during the qualifiers that they are a quality unit and it will it be a tough encounter.

“I think they are a quality side but I don’t we need to pay them too much respect,” said Venter.

“We still want to keep focusing on our progress and go out there and enjoy ourselves, it’s going to be tough out there. Especially if we don’t know what to expect of the weather and conditions.

“We’re an experienced side now after having gone through the Super Rugby, we must just go out there and show it on the field.”

The centre added that the experience they gained in the Super Rugby campaign gives them a lot of confidence.

“It’s great, even if it’s to take confidence out of it, knowing that everybody has been through at least one Super Rugby season and getting to know each other.

“There are no excuses for us, we must just go out there and perform.”

Saturday afternoon’s match at the Boland Stadium kicks off at 15:00

Toyota Free State Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter (captain), 12 William Small-Smith, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Neill Jordaan, 7 Uzair Cassie, 6 Tier Schoeman, 5 Reniel Hugo (vice-captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Tom Botha, Joseph Dweba, Ox Nche.

Replacements – 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Justin Basson, 19 Henco Venter, 20 Tian Meyer, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Rayno Benjamin.

Morgan Piek/OFM News