Davis will start at eighth-man, while the loan player from the Sharks, Thembalani Bohli, starts at flank.

Siya Masuku will play at flyhalf for the game while there are Cheetahs debuts for Gideon van der Merwe and Daniel Kasende.

Two more loan players from the Sharks, Hanru Jacobs and Jeandré Labuschagne, are on the bench.

On Thursday morning during training, Reinhardt Fortuin, sustained an injury and was withdrawn from the squad. Brandon Thomson comes onto the bench for cover at flyhalf.

The Cheetahs coach, Hawies Fourie, told OFM Sport that he wants to test Masuku in the number 10 jersey.

“We want to give him game time at flyhalf against better opposition. Last week it was quite easy against Zimbabwe.

“In the end his kicked well out of hand and at goal, but I want to see how attacks and defends the channel.

“He is contracted as a flyhalf but he played so well at inside centre in the previous Currie Cup that we kept him there.

“We decided to give a go this weekend against proper opposition and we will see how it goes at flyhalf.”

Saturday's game at the Toyota Stadium kicks off at 17:30.

Toyota Cheetahs - 15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Brits, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Rosko Specman, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Aidon Davis (captain), 7 Thembalani Bohli, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Rynier Bernardo, 4 Victor Sekekete, 3 Beertjie van Vuuren, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.

Replacements - 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Jeandré Labuschagne, 20 Oupa Mohoje, 21 Zinedine Booysen, 22 Brandon Thomson, 1 Evardi Boshoff

Western Province XV - 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Mngomezulu, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Nama Xaba (captain), 6 JJ Kotze, 5 Dylan de Leeuw, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Leon Lyons

Replacements - 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Jarrod Taylor, 20 Romauld Ntumba, 21 Simon Miller, 22 Thomas Bursey, 23 Paschal Ekeji, 24 Mambo Mkhize, 25 Litha Nkula

Morgan Piek OFM Sport