Oupa Mohoje, Rudy Paige, and Ox Nche will start for the Free State Cheetahs against the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Mohoje will lead the side in the first match of their 2018 Currie Cup campaign. Paige will start in a new halfback pairing with former Bulls flyhalf Tian Schoeman, who signed from French side Bordeaux.
Nico Lee will form a centre partnership with Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who starred for the side in the Rugby Challenge, while fullback Malcolm Jaer and wings Rabz Maxwane and William Small-Smith start in the back three.
Up front, Nche starts with hooker Joseph Dweba and tighthead Luan de Bruin. Justin Basson and JP du Preez form the second-row combination, with Mohoje, Junior Pokomela and Niell Jordaan as the loose trio.
Replacement hooker Jacques du Toit will earn his 50th cap for the Cheetahs should he come off the bench.
Cheetahs – 15 Malcolm Jaer, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Nico Lee, 11 William Small-Smith, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Oupa Mohoje (c), 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 JP du Preez, 4 Justin Basson, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche
Subs: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Erich de Jager, 18 Günther Janse van Vuuren, 19 Dennis Visser, 20 Gerhard Olivier, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Louis Fouché.
Cheetahs Pro14/Currie Cup squad:
Forwards: Aranos Coetzee, Luan de Bruin, Erich de Jager, Gunther Janse van Vuuren, Johan Kotze, Charles Marais, Ox Nche, Boan Venter, Quintin Vorster, Jacques du Toit, Joseph Dweba, Elandre Huggett, Rienach Venter, Marnus van der Merwe, Jannes Snyman, Justin Basson, Louis Conradie, JP du Preez, Sibabalo Qoma, Walt Steenkamp, Dennis Visser, Stephan Malan, Daniel Maartens, Oupa Mohoje, Gerhard Olivier, Ntokozo Vidima, Jasper Wiese, Luigi van Jaarsveld, Aidon Davis, Niell Jordaan, Junior Pokomela
Backs: Dian Badenhorst, Ruben de Haas, Tian Meyer, Zee Mkhabela, Rudy Paige, Ruan van Rensburg, Shaun Venter, Tian Schoeman, Ryno Eksteen, Louis Fouche, Neill Stannard, Ernst Stapelberg, Carel-Jan Coetzee, Vuyani Maqina, Rabz Maxwane, Lloyd Greeff, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Tertius Kruger, Nico Lee, Ali Mgijima, William Small-Smith, Dries Swanepoel, Adriaan Carelse, Malcolm Jaer.
Photo: Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images
