Huggett will start in the game, while Reinach Venter, moves over to his right to play at tighthead prop.

Dennis Visser returns at lock from Guinness Pro14 duty, while Daniel Maartens switches from flank to the back of the scrum. Abongile Nonkontwana, who played in the second-row last week against the Tafel Lager Griquas, moves back to his more regular position on the flank.

The coach, Daan Human, has also opted to field Jannes Snyman on the side of the scrum, rather than at hooker which is his regular role in the side. This means that a total of four hookers have been named in the match-22.

No changes were made to the backline for this weeks' game.

With this being the Free State’s last game of the 2018 Currie Cup, the players were fielded in the competition will be afforded a break, and will reassemble on 16 October to fall in with the Pro14 squad.

The captain, Rudy Paige, told OFM Sport that the tough season will better equip the players for the future, and this game will also serve as an ideal opportunity to impress Franco Smith.

“It is always up to the player because at the end of the day we are professionals.

“You have to make sure that you are always sharpening a tool and improving as a player, whether it is in the gym or out on the field.

“The players are putting in the hard work, and I do believe that after this Currie Cup the guys will know what to do and what to put in place in order to make it as tough as possible for coach Franco going forward.”

This game on Friday at the Toyota Stadium kicks off at 17:00 and will be a curtain raiser for the Guinness Pro14 match between the Cheetahs and Ulster.

Toyota Free State Cheetahs - 15 Adriaan Carelse, 14 Ali Mgijima, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Vuyani Maqina, 10 Ernst Stapelberg, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Daniel Maartens, 7 Jannes Snyman, 6 Abongile Nonkontwana, 5 Louis Conradie, 4 Dennis Visser, 3 Reinach Venter, 2 Elandre Huggett, 1 Johan Kotze.

Replacements - 16 Hanno Snyman, 17 Stephan van Schalkwyk, 18 Nardus Erasmus, 19 Luigy van Jaarsveld, 20 Dian Badenhorst, 21 Reinhardt Erwee, 22 Maputa Dolo.

Pumas – 15 Devon Williams, 14 Morné Joubert, 13 Neil Maritz, 12 Ryan Nell, 11 Ruwellyn Isbel, 10 Christopher Smith, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Hugo Kloppers (Captain), 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Andrew Beerwinkel, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Morgan Naudé.

Replacements – 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Cameron Lindsay, 19 Francois Kleinhans, 22 Abrie Griesel, 21 Kobus Marais, 22 Henko Marais.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport