Sekekete is unavailable for the game as he will be getting married. The experienced campaigner, Carl Wegner, will play in the second row alongside Rynier Bernardo.

Bernardo will have the added responsibility of calling the lineouts against the Lions in the absence of the Currie Cup-winning captain.

Jeandré Rudolph, Friedle Olivier and Gideon van der Merwe play in the backrow, while Justin Forwood, Chucky van der Westhuizen and Alulutho Tshakweni will be the starting front row.

In the backline, the former Maties winger, Siba Xamlashe, will get a crack and it will be a good opportunity for him to impress.

George Lourens will once again start at scrumhalf and he will form the halfback combination with the seasoned Ruan Pienaar. Reinhardt Fortuin and Evardi Boshoff will start a centre, with Cohen Japer on the left wing and Tapiwa Mafura at fullback.

The Shimlas scrumhalf,  Smiley Nel, will make his Cheetahs debut off the bench.

Saturday's game which is a curtain-raiser for the Lions versus Zebre match in the United Rugby Championship, will kick-off at 11:30.

Cheetahs - 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Siba Xamlashe, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Rynier Bernardo, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Justin Forwood, 2 Chucky van der Westhuizen, 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.

Replacements - 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 19 Laurence Victor,20 Mzwanele Zito, 21 Daniel Maartens, 22 Jandré Nel, 23 Andell Loubser, 24 Ali Mgijima, 25 Sibabalo Qoma, 26 Oupa Mohoje.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport