Not many would have predicted that the Toyota Cheetahs would start the Guinness PRO14 in such red-hot form, but after two rounds it is the Bloemfontein outfit that lead Conference A.

Outgoing head coach Franco Smith has put his team in the strongest possible position before departing to take the Italy job and will be hoping to make it a hat-trick of wins in his final game in charge.

Meanwhile in Conference B Munster have also taken maximum points from their two opening fixtures, making Friday night’s face-off a mouth-watering prospect so early in the competition.

Cheetahs have scored 111 points in their victories over Ulster and Glasgow Warriors, while Munster have only conceded 29 points so far in their bonus-point wins over Dragons and Isuzu Southern Kings.

Smith’s players are also dominating in the individual stats stakes, with returning scrum-half Ruan Pienaar already on 30 points and full-back Rhyno Smith paving the way on ball carries, clean breaks and the all-important tries.

Munster have beaten Cheetahs on all four of their meetings before this, but have never faced he South-African outfit on such a strong sun of form.

“Munster are a well organised, well-disciplined and well coached team with an excellent and experienced support staff and they’ll know what needs to be done to be competitive,” said Smith.

“Johann van Graan and I know each other well, working together at the Springboks, so he’ll have his plans ready and know what to expect from us.”

Munster captain Billy Holland comes into the side as one of five changes to the team that beat Southern Kings last week with Tyler Bleyendaal, Nick McCarthy, Jeremy Loughman and Rhys Marshall also included.

Mike Haley starts at full-back with Darren Sweetnam and Shane Daly, Man of the Match in both of Munster’s opening games, on either flank.

McCarthy and Bleyendaal form a new half-back partnership with the centre pairing of Rory Scannell and Dan Goggin unchanged.

Loughman, Marshall and Stephen Archer pack down in the front row with Fineen Wycherley and Holland in the engine room.

Kick-off: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein | 17:15 (UK) 18:15 (SA), Friday 11 October

How to watch: Live on eir Sport 1, Premier Sports 2, DAZN and Super Sport 2

Players to watch out for: Rhyno Smith (Cheetahs) Mike Haley (Munster)

The Guinness PRO14 man of the moment is undoubtedly Cheetahs full-back Smith, and he has been at the heart of everything good that the Bloemfontein outfit have been doing this season.

Four tries in two games make him the danger man in Round 3 and another strong performance could force people to consider them as potential title contenders this year.

At the other end of the field, Munster full-back Mike Haley has managed a score in both fixtures so far this season and will be looking to extend that record on Friday night.

Key stat: Cheetahs’ 63-26 victory over Ulster in Bloemfontein last weekend was their first win over an Irish province since beating Connacht by a solitary point at the same venue in March 2018.

Toyota Cheetahs: Rhyno Smith, William Small-Smith, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Louis Fouche, Anthony Volmink, Tian Schoeman, Ruan Pienaar ©, Ox Nche, Jospeh Dweba, Luan de Bruin, Sintu Manjezi, Walt Steenkamp, Gerhard Olivier, Junior Polomela, Henco Venter

Replacements: Reinach Venter, Boan Venter, Neethling Fouche, JP du Preez, Sias Koen, Jasper Wiese, Tian Meyer, Clayton Blommetjies

Munster: Mike Haley, Darren Sweetnam, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly, Tyler Bleyendaal, Nick McCarthy, Jeremy Loughman, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Billy Holland ©, Jack O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell, Arno Botha

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, James Cronin, Keynan Knox, Darren O’Shea, Gavin Coombes, Alby Mathewson, JJ Hanrahan, Calvin Nash