JP du Plessis will start at outside centre for the Free State Cheetahs against the Pumas in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

That sees Francois Venter move from 13 to 12, with Joubert Engelbrecht relegated to the bench.

Du Plessis joined the Cheetahs in July following a stint with French club Montpellier and will be eager to impress.

In the only other change to the starting team that beat Griquas in Kimberley, Pieter-Steyn de Wet gets the No 10 jersey with Willie du Plessis among the substitutes.

The Cheetahs will be looking for revenge having lost 28-21 to the Pumas in round one.

Free State Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jean Cook, 7 Neil Claassen, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Henco Venter, 3 Dolph Botha, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Kevin Stevens.
Subs: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 George Marich, 18 Werner Lourens, 19 Vincent Jobo, 20 Shaun Venter, 21 Willie du Plessis, 22 Joubert Engelbrecht.

Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images