Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie has made one injury-enforced change to his team’s starting XV for their clash with the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Following an untimely injury to team captain Ruan Pienaar, which he sustained against the Vodacom Bulls last week, Fourie has been forced to tweak his lineup.

Tian Meyer replaces Pienaar at scrumhalf, while blindside flank Junior Pokomela takes over the captaincy.

Ruben de Haas, the Cheetahs’ American scrumhalf, slots into the vacant spot on the bench and will make his Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked debut if he comes on later in the game. He represented the USA at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Malcolm Jaer, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Junior Pokomela (c), 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Charles Marais.
Subs: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Erich de Jager, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Aidon Davis, 21 Chris Massyn, 22 Ruben de Haas, 23 William Small-Smith.

Photo: Cheetahs Rugby