Vermaak back as desperate WP name Currie Cup team to tackle Cheetahs

Vermaak's inclusion is the only change to the WP team that lost 45-34 to the Bulls in Pretoria last week.

With Vermaak back, Kwenzo Blose shifts down to the bench and Leon Lyons drops out of the match-day squad.

WP head coach Jerome Paarwater said they were looking forward to playing at home.

"We have got some good continuity in our selection, so hopefully we will see some growth in those combinations.

"It is always great to be playing on our home ground and the team are determined to put on a good display for our fans," Paarwater said.

WP are a lowly sixth in the seven-team standings with a solitary win from seven matches, while the Cheetahs have won all six their matches. The men from Bloemfontein lie second in the standings (26 points), but have two games in hands on the log-leading Bulls (32 points).

Friday's clash at Cape Town Stadium kicks off at 14:45.

15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Timothy Swiel, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 Connor Evans, 4 Ben-Jason Dixon, 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Ali Vermaak

Substitutes: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Simon Miller, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Bobby Alexander, 22 Kade Wolhuter, 23 Mnombo Zwelendaba