Four Boks in Cheetahs squad
Captain and centre Francois Venter and loose forward Uzair Cassiem both made their international debuts in November last year and are two of the four Springboks in the squad.
Loose forward Teboho Mohoje and lock Hilton Lobberts are the other two Boks in the squad.
The Cheetahs will be without Props Luan de Bruin (lumbar disc) and Erich de Jager (plantar fasciitis) for the entire season because of injuries.
Centre William Small-Smith (hand fracture) and captain Venter (ankle) will also miss the opening rounds of the competition with injuries.
The Cheetahs kicks off their Super Rugby campaign against the Lions at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
Cheetahs squad: Danie Mienie, Joseph Dweba, Retshegofaditswe Nche, Charles Marais, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Jacques Du Toit, Elandre Huggett, Tom Botha, Johan Coetzee, Justin Basson, Carl Wegner, Hilton Lobberts, Armandt Koster, Francois Uys, Dennis Visser, Reniel Hugo, Paul Schoeman, Teboho Mohoje, Uzair Cassiem, Boom Prinsloo, Niell Jordaan, Henco Venter, Shaun Venter, Tian Meyer, Fred Zeilinga, Niel Marais, Sergeal Petersen, Raymond Rhule, Zee Mkhabela, Francois Venter, Ryno Benjamin, Nico Lee, William Small-Smith, Clinton Swart, Michael Van der Spuy, Clayton Blommetjies, Ryno Eksteen.
