Hamilton - Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has made four changes to his starting line-up to play the Cheetahs in their first Super Rugby home game at Waikato Stadium on Saturday.

Kick-off is at 08:35 SA time.

Hooker Hika Elliot, lock Michael Fitzgerald, scrumhalf Augustine Pulu and wing Lelia Masaga all start with Rhys Marshall, Craig Clarke, Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Patrick Osborne moving to the bench.

Rennie said that out of all the South African sides, the Cheetahs play a style that is closest to the Chiefs.

"They are innovative and can score tries from anywhere around the park and like all South African sides they are big and physical," the Chiefs coach said.

"We had a really free flowing match against them in Bloemfontein last year, and we are expecting them to play a style of game similar to us, which is a free flowing, high paced, ruck and run game."

The Cheetahs lost their opening Super Rugby match against the Sharks in Bloemfontein last weekend, while the defending champion Chiefs started their defence with victory over the Highlanders in Dunedin.

Teams:

Chiefs:

15 Gareth Anscombe, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Tim Nanai-Williams, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Fritz Lee, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam  Messam (captain), 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Michael Fitzgerald, 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Pauliasi Manu

Substitutes: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 Ben Tameifuna, 18 Craig Clarke, 19 Tanerau Latimer, 20 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 21 Charlie Ngatai, 22 Patrick Osborne

Cheetahs:

15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Frans Viljoen, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane

Substitutes: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Rynhard Landman, 19 Johannes Prinsloo, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Riaan Smith, 22 Ryno Benjamin