Cheetahs get two back, lose one
Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:15
It was a mixed bag of news for Free State Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské as he named the team to face Western Province in a Currie Cup crunch match in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Drotské was able to name Springboks Juan Smith, who will captain the team from the flank, and hooker Adriaan Strauss in his starting XV.
However, ace flyhalf Chris Rossouw has failed to recover from the head knock he suffered in the win over the Lions a fortnight ago, will not be able to face up to his former team, WP.
Tewis de Bruyn, a scrumhalf turned flyhalf, will start in the No.,10 jersey on Saturday and his halfback partner will be Neil Powell.
But the return of their two Boks, Strauss and Smith, will come as a timely boost ahead of an encounter with the star-studded Province side.
Strauss takes over from his cousin Richardt Strauss and Smith replaces Kabamba Floors.
Richardt Strauss and Floors both drop down to the replacement bench.
The bench includes five forwards, but Floors - a Sevens international - will cover the wing.
Cheetahs: 15 Bevin Fortuin, 14 Wilton Pietersen, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Fabian Juries, 10 Tewis de Bruyn, 9 Neil Powell, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Juan Smith (captain), 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 David de Villiers, 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Phillip Lemmer, 18 Nico Breedt, 19 Heinrich Brüssow, 20 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 21 JW Jonker, 22 Kabamba Floors.
Date: Saturday, September 6
Venue: Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Phillip Bosch
Touch judges: Pro Legoete, Peet Badenhorst
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
