KEY POINTS:
For the second time on the Chiefs tour of South Africa, rookie Tanerau Latimer will begin as openside flanker instead of the vastly experienced Marty Holah.
Coach Ian Foster thinks his senior loose forwards may be a bit weary after their tough schedule and in a double selection surprise has left captain Steven Bates alongside Holah on the bench for Saturday's game against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Sione Lauaki, who is backing up after his injury absence, has been joined by Latimer and Liam Messam in the new loose forward combination as the Chiefs look for their first Super 14 victory this season.
"This is our third game on tour with only a six-day turnaround from a tough match against the Bulls in the heat," said Foster.
"We are injecting some fresh legs through Messam and Latimer in the starting line-up. We will look to use the experience of Bates and Holah later in the game to provide composure."
In backline alterations, Jamie Nutbrown has been chosen ahead of Brendon Leonard at halfback, while Niva Ta'auso replaces centre Richard Kahui, who has flown home with a recurrence of his shoulder injury.
Foster said Leonard was exhausted after the Bulls game and has been named in a minimal list of reserve backs alongside Murray Williams. A decision on reserve frontrower Aled de Malmanche's fitness will be left until Saturday.
Hooker Tom Willis will lead the side as Bates is in the reserves and regular skipper Jono Gibbes recovers from a calf injury at home.
While Foster has chosen to rest his senior loose forwards, he has picked frontrowers Simms Davison, Willis and lock Toby Lynn for their third successive start in the Republic.
The Chiefs scrum will face an intense battle against a Cheetahs pack which bludgeoned two tightheads from the Crusaders last week.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have kept their training to a minimum this week as they recover from the draining effects of the match at altitude against the Bulls and the trauma of another last-minute defeat.
The Chiefs lost their first game in Cape Town 21-16 to the Stormers and fell 30-27 to a last-move try from Bryan Habana in Pretoria.
