Masuku made his return to the field in Cape Town last week when he came off the bench during the win over Western Province. The Sharks-linked played had been out of action for about six weeks after hyperextending his elbow against the very same team in a Currie Cup warm-up game.

The return of Masuku sees Reinhardt Fortuin move back to inside centre, while Robert Ebersohn returns at outside centre after being rested last week.

Tapiwa Mafura returns to start at fullback while this will see Cohen Jasper being rotated back to the bench.

Upfront, Jeandré Rudolph returns to start at the back of the scrum after being rested a week prior, while Rynier Bernardo is back at lock. Rudolph was also rested against Province, while Bernardo played of the bench in order to give Mzwanele Zito a rare start.

The Cheetahs coach, Hawies Fourie, told OFM Sport that it’s import to use the Sharks-bound Masuku while he still can.

“Siya is important in our kicking game especially,” said Fourie.

“That helps us because when we lost Frans (Steyn) we lost a big part of our kicking game. Siya has got more distance than Reinhardt.

“Reinhardt has played well at ten, but I selected him at inside centre so that we've got a left and right foot kicking option which will help us as well.

“I moved Reinhardt to 12 at the end of last year and we've been working on that, but with Siya's injury we had to move him back to flyhalf.

“I see Reinhardt as a 12 going forward and I also like having two playmakers starting.”

Friday afternoon’s game between the Cheetahs and Sharks at the Toyota Stadium kicks off at 14:30.

Toyota Cheetahs - 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Munier Hartzenberg, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Sibabalo Qoma, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Schalk Ferreira.

Replacements – 16 Chucky van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 David Brits, 23 Cohen Jasper.

Sharks – 15 Nevaldo Fleuers, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Joshua Jonas, 12 Alwayno Potgieter, 11 Marnus Potgieter, 10 Lionel Cronjé, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Henco Venter, 7 James Venter (captain), 6 Tinotenda Mavesere, 5 Ockie Barnard, 4 Corné Rhal, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona.

Replacements - 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Marco de Witt, 20 Dylan Richardson, 21 Tiaan Fourie, 22 Murray Koster, 23 Phiko Sobahle.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport