Ruan Pienaar set for Cheetahs debut against Lions

Ruan Pienaar is in line to make his Free State Cheetahs debut as they announced their team to face the Golden Lions in their Currie Cup match in Bloemfontein on Friday.

Pienaar recently made the switch to the Cheetahs after leaving French club Montpellier which he joined in 2017.

The former Springbok scrumhalf was included on the bench for the Cheetahs.

Tapiwa Mafura will make his Currie Cup debut on the wing as William Small-Smith was ruled out due to injury.

Marnus van der Merwe starts at flank with loose forward Abongile Nonkontwana listed among the replacements.

Cheetahs team: 15 Darron Adonis, 14 Tapiwa Mafura, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer (captain), 8 Henco Venter, 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Marnus van der Merwe, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Sitno Manjesi, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche

Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Reinach Venter, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Abongile Nonkontwana, 21 Gerhard Olivier, 22 Ruan Pienaar, 23 Louis Fouche

In partnership with ANA and Mediapix