The Guinness PRO14 might be a month away from kicking off but the Toyota Cheetahs are already chasing their first piece of silverware of the summer.

The South African side host domestic rivals Cell C Sharks in the Currie Cup semi-finals, their 22nd last-four match in the competition and ninth against the Sharks.

Head coach Franco Smith has named a strong side, with Clayton Blommetjies in at full-back and part of an intriguing back three which also includes William Small-Smith and captain Tian Meyer.

Dries Swanepoel and Benhard Janse van Rensburg line up in midfield, while veteran scrum-half Ruan Pienaar – back in the Guinness PRO14 following a two-year stint at Montpellier – is in at No.9.

Tian Schoeman will direct attacks from fly-half and he will rely on quick ball from the forwards. Ox Nche and Erich de Jager will flank hooker Joseph Dweba in the front row, while Sintu Manjesi and Walt Steenkamp make up the engine room at No.4 and No.5.

Junior Pokomela, Abongile Nonkontwana and Henco Venter start in the back row. The match starts at 5pm local time on Saturday.

15 Clayton Blommetjies

14 William Small-Smith

13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg

12 Dries Swanepoel

11 Tian Meyer ©

10 Tian Schoeman

9 Ruan Pienaar

8 Henco Venter

7 Abongile Nonkontwana

6 Junior Pokomela

5 Walt Steenkamp

4 Sintu Manjesi

3 Erich de Jager

2 Joseph Dweba

1 Ox Nche

16 Jacques du Toit

17 Schalk van der Merwe

18 Reinach Venter

19 JP du Preez

20 Gerhard Olivier

21 Jasper Wiese

22 Louis Fouche

23 Darren Adonis