Seven players who will make their Super 14 debuts and eight Springboks mark the Cheetahs squad selected for Friday night's first-round Super 14 match against the Bulls in Bloemfontein.
New Springboks Riaan Viljoen (fullback) and Ashley Johnson and a man who should've ben one Lionel Mapoe will make their debut in the starting team, while Ryno Barnes (hooker), Coenie Oosthuizen (prop), Walti Vermeulen (lock) and Sias Ebersohn (flyhalf) will get the chance to play off the bench.
With regular captain Juan Smith fit after last season's long injury-lay-off, he takes over the captaincy from Adriaan Strauss who turned the team's fortunes around when he led them last year.
The team is:
Riaan Viljoen, Lionel Mapoe, Corné Uys, Meyer Bosman, Jongi Nokwe, Naas Olivier, Tewis de Bruyn, Ashley Johnson, Juan Smith (captain), Heinrich Brüssow, David de Villiers, Nico Breedt, WP Nel, Adriaan Strauss, Wian du Preez.
Replacements: Ryno Barnes, Coenie Oosthuizen, Walti Vermeulen, Frans Viljoen, Sarel Pretorius, Sias Ebersohn, Danwel Demas.
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