Willie du Plessis, the University of Pretoria flyhalf, could make his Currie Cup debut for the Free State Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday.

The inclusion the Varsity Cup star on the bench is the only change to the team that will face defending champions Western Province in a Round Two match on Saturday.

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Du Plessis, who also played for the South African Students this year, replaced Joubert Engelbrecht on the bench in the team named on Wednesday.

The good news for the Cheetahs is that two key backline players – fullback Hennie Daniller and utility back Riaan Smit – have been cleared for the trip to Newlands.

Daniller went for scans earlier in this week to determine the extent of the chronic hand/wrist injury that has been plaguing him for more than a month – since the Round 19 Super Rugby encounter with the Blues on July 6.

The Cheetahs stalwart continued to play through the pain barrier – in the preliminary play-off match against the Brumbies on July 21 and last week’s Currie Cup opener against the Golden Lions.

It appears that surgery is not required at this stage and he will continue to push through the pain barrier.

Smit, who injured the tendon behind the knee, where the hamstring attaches to the bone, did not train on Monday or Tuesday.

However, he was again named on the right wing.

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Smit, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Johannes Prinsloo (Captain), 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Wian du Preez, 18 Teboho Mohoje, 19 Davon Raubenheimer, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Willie du Plessis, 22 Piet Lindeque.

Date: Saturday 17 August
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 19:15 SA Time (17:15 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant referees: Jaco van Heerden, Marc van Zyl Marc
TMO: Deon van Blommestein