Battles between neighbours Griquas and Cheetahs are always tough and uncompromising and Saturday's clash at Free State Stadium should be no different.

An under pressure Cheetahs side will try to return to winning ways after last week's disappointing performance against the Natal Sharks. But the visitors from the diamond fields are intent on spoiling the home side's party.

The Cheetahs will field a new-look front row in their first Top Eight match and without the battle-hardened Dirkie Groenewald and Dougie Heymans, they look vulnerable up front.

Griquas coach Swys de Bruin made his intentions that he wants to make the scrums the battlegrounds clear when he selected prop Hedley Wessels at hooker. Shimlas prop Daan Human and veteran Mat Stander (at tighthead) are going to face an acid test on Saturday.

The Cheetahs wouldn't have been happy with their defensive effort against the Sharks and an improved performance is a must if they want to enhance their chances of reaching the semifinals. The strong and quick Griquas midfield of George Binikos and the exciting Dries Scholtz are sure to test the Cheetahs defence.

Flyhalf Boeta Wessels (pictured) is also on song and his opposite number, Kennedy Tsimba, will have his work cut out against the strong-running pivot. If the Cheetahs forwards can hold their own in the tight exchanges, their brilliant loose trio should provide the platform for a good performance.

Teams for Free State Stadium:

Cheetahs: Michael Horak; Wylie Human, JP du Toit, De Wet Oelschig, Ferdie Wesso; Kennedy Tsimba, Jimmy Powell; Tokkie Kasselman, Andre Venter, Jaco Coetzee, Braam Els (capt), Joe Beukes, Mat Stander, Andre van Niekerk, Daan Human. Substitutes: Friedrich Lombard, Conrad Barnard, Neil Powell, Vorster Zeilinga, Gerrie Britz, Boela du Plooy, Germaine Brinkhuis.

Griquas: Andre Vermeulen; Scolla Scholtz, Dries Scholtz, George Binikos, Jearus Nicholas; Boeta Wessels (capt), Christoff Lotter; Janneman Brand, Bok Markram, Thando Manana, Victor Matfield, Hanu Nel, De Waal Venter, Hedley Wessels, Riaan Olckers. Substitutes: Dirkie Strydom, Edrich Lubbe, Hakkies Husselman, Pierre Uys, Slang Roux, Tom Cameron, Henno van Tonder.