The Toyota Cheetahs have picked a team with youth and experience for Friday night’s SA Cup opener against the Boland Cavaliers in Bloemfontein.

The Cheetahs will field three debutants in the game against the team from Wellington which is now coached, by Hawies Fourie, who guided the Free State to their seventh Currie Cup title in 2023.

The Springbok Sbu Nkosi is on debut, while the former Shimlas captain, Thabang Mahlasi, as well as James Verity-Amm will play their first official games off the bench. All three players featured in the warm-up game against the Griquas in Jacobsdal a fortnight ago, but on Friday it will be their first competitive game.

Ruan Pienaar and George Lourens will form the halfback combination for the match, while Ali Mgijima and Andell Loubscher will play at centre.

Litha Nkula will do duty in the last line of defence in the absence of the injured Tapiwa Mafura.

Friedle Olivier, Oupa Mohoje and Gideon van der Merwe will start in the loose-trio, while the captain Carl Wegner and Mzwanele Zito will play in the second-row.

Aranos Coetzee, Marnus van der Merwe and Cameron Dawson will start in the front-row.

The Cheetahs coach, Izak van der Westhuizen, told OFM Sport that this is the younger and fringe player's chance to impress him.

“I think it's a massive opportunity - the whole idea is that we become a breeding ground again for the younger players,” said Van der Westhuizen.

“Giving opportunities to younger players is what we want to do and hopefully they grasp it with both hands and use it to say 'here we are'.

“By doing that they can maybe get into the squad for the Currie Cup as well.”

Friday night’s game at the Toyota Stadium kicks off at 18:00.

Cheetahs - 15 Litha Nkula, 14 S'bu Nkosi, 13 Andell Loubser, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Siba Xamlashe, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Friedle Olivier, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Carl Wegner (captain), Mzwanele Zito, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Cameron Dawson

Replacements - 16 Chucky van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Thabang Mahlasi, 20 Andisa Ntsila, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Abner van Reenen, 23 James Verity-Amm

Boland - 15 Ashlon Davids, 14 Riaan Louw, 13 Xavier Mitchell, 12 Jurick Lewis, 11 Cornell Engelbrecht, 10 Darian Hock, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Emile Booysen, 6 Sauleigh Arendse, 5 Marlyn Williams, 4 Schalk Oelofse, 3 Nicolas Duhwa, 2 Emile Booysen, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel

Replacements - 16 Sydney Tobias, 17 Gerrit Bester, 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 19 Carl Truter, 20 Taine-Randall Booysen, 21 Gift Dlamini, 22 Bentley Geldenhuys, 23 Garth April

Morgan Piek OFM Sport