Winger Melani Nanai will make a Super Rugby debut while captain Jerome Kaino is poised for his 100th game for the Blues when they face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

A rejigged Blues side featuring five personnel changes and two positional switches will chase their first win of the season on Saturday morning (AEDT) after opening their campaign with losses to the Chiefs and Stormers.

Wider training group member and former Samoan age-group winger Nanai comes onto the right wing in place of Ben Lam while there is a notable change of role for All Blacks outside back Charles Piutau.

Normally a wing or fullback, Piutau is shifted to centre, pushing Mike Northcott to inside centre in place of the benched Francis Saili.

Lolagi Visinia returns to the starting side at fullback.

Not considered was inside back Dan Bowden, who re-aggravated a foot injury and has returned home.

His place on the bench is taken by Simon Hickey.

Two All Blacks tight five forwards will make their first start of the season.

Charlie Faumuina replaces Angus Ta’avao at tighthead prop and lock Patrick Tuipulotu fills the gap left by Hayden Triggs, who is serving a one-match ban for punching against the Stormers.

A Blues statement said flanker Steven Luatua has recovered from a shoulder injury that forced him from the field against the Stormers but he has been named on the bench.

Luke Braid takes his place, giving the tourists two specialist openside flankers, alongside Brendon O’Connor.

They will blend with All Black powerhouse Kaino, whose 100th game comes 11 years after he made his debut.

The 31-year-old would have reached the mark earlier had he not departed for two seasons in Japan following the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

He is the 35th New Zealander to reach a century of Super Rugby caps and the 10th to have played for the Blues.

Blues: Lolagi Visinia, Melani Nanai, Charles Piutau, Hamish Northcott, Tevita Li, Ihaia West, Jimmy Cowan, Jerome Kaino (capt), Brendon O’Connor, Luke Braid, Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Bekhuis, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Matt Moulds, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Angus Ta’avao, Steven Luatua, Akira Ioane, Jamison Gibson-Park, Simon Hickey, Francis Saili.