In the backline, Evardi Boshoff, Chris Smith, Brandon Thomson and Tian Meyer all start. Meyer captains the team in the absence of Ruan Pienaar.

Upfront, Mihlali Mosi earns a run-on debut. Reinier Viljoen is on debut at lock and he forms the second-row with Victor Sekekete.

The front-row is made up of Beertjie van Vuuren, Wilmar Arnoldi and Schalk van der Merwe.

The former Cheetahs captain, Robert Ebersohn, will make his long-awaited return off the bench.

The Cheetahs coach, Hawies Fourie, told OFM Sport that they had always planed to ring the changes for this game.

“We decided in advance that we are going to rotate the team against the Sharks. It's sort of in the middle of the six games in 20 days.

“All the players new about the plan of who is going to play against the Sharks.

“We prepared as well as we could with the guys that didn't play against the Lions just to use the little time we had for training a bit better.”

Fourie added that Ebersohn can expect to play at least the last 30 minutes of the game.

“I said to him from the start that he will be on the bench against the Sharks on Sunday. We are all looking forward and we know what Robert can bring.

“He is a very good player. Really good at the breakdown, a very good defender, a gutsy guy and a good leader.

“He will definitely make a big contribution to the team. He can expect about 30 minutes from the bench if injuries don't force us to bring him on earlier.”

Sunday’s match at the Shark Tank kicks off at 13:30.

Toyota Cheetahs - 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Craig Barry, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Brandon Thomson, 9 Tian Meyer (captain), 8 Mihlali Mosi, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Reinier Viljoen, 3 Beertjie van Vuuren, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.

Replacements - 16 Chucky van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Junior Pokomela, 21 Brandon de Kock, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 Robert Ebersohn.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport