The Cheetahs have named their team to face the Highlanders in Bloemfontein on Saturday with captain Adriaan Strauss returning to the starting line up.

Strauss missed the Cheetahs match before the bye against the Chiefs but has fully recovered and starts in his usual position at hooker.

In the loss to the Chiefs the Cheetahs lost Rayno Benjamin so coach Naka Drotske has brought in Cameron Jacobs in his place.

Other changes to the backline see Johan Goosen returning to the starting line up which means that Sias Ebersohn drops down to the bench.

Lock Andries Ferreira, who joined the Cheetahs from French club Biarritz last year, gets only his third start this season in place of George Earl who moves to the bench.

Tewus de Bruyn starts at scrumhalf ahead of Piet van Zyl who is on the bench.

"I've had three games playing from the bench and I'm look forward to starting again," De Bruyn said on Wednesday.

"Piet is a very good scrumhalf, and while it is also because of rotation by the coach that I'm included, I still feel that I can bring a lot to our game, especially on defence."

De Bruyn said he looked forward to pairing up with Goosen, the attacking young flyhalf who was included earlier Wednesday in the SA U-20 squad for the IRB Junior World Championship in June.

"He is such a special player and I enjoy playing alongside him," De Bruyn said.

"He loves to run with the ball and it will be my job just to help settle him down a bit whenever needs be.

"We will have to be rock solid on defence in every channel, and Goosen and I are the first line when it comes to the backline.

"We've been solid on defence and will look to keep up that performance."

Ashley Johnson stays on the bench and will be used as an impact player as he was against the Chiefs when he scored a sensational try.

Cheetahs team:

Hennie Daniller, Cameron Jacobs, Robert Ebersohn, Andries Strauss, Willie le Roux, Johan Goosen, Tewis de Bruyn, Philip van der Walt, Justin Downey, Heinrich Brüssow, Izak van der Westhuizen, Andries Ferreira, WP Nel, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Coenie Oosthuizen.

Replacements: Hercu Liebenberg, Trevor Nyakane, George Earle, Ashley Johnson, Piet van Zyl, Sias Ebersohn, Philip Snyman.