The Cheetahs have been strengthened by the return of several key players for Saturday’s SA Cup clash against Eastern Province in Bloemfontein.
The match at Shimla Park, brought forward to a 1pm kick-off, sees the Cheetahs make seven changes to their starting line-up as they target a place in the top four.
The Cheetahs lie sixth after three rounds, with winless EP third-from-bottom on the 10-team log.
Among the notable returns is experienced lock Carl Wegner, who is back after recovering from concussion sustained earlier in the campaign.
Also up front, props John-Kelly Okonkwo and Tielman Nieuwoudt come into the starting XV, replacing Dux Manyma and Aranos Coetzee.
In the backline, flyhalf Jaco van der Walt has recovered from hand surgery and is restored to the starting lineup after featuring off the bench last week for the match against the Pumas. That match was abandoned due to a lightning storm, with the two teams sharing the points.
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Centre Carel-Jan Coetzee, who has been out since undergoing ankle surgery in October, is named among the replacements.
There is also a reshuffle in the back three, with Cohen Jasper shifting from fullback to right wing, while Clayton Blommetjies returns from injury to take over at fullback. Michael Annies earns a start on the left wing.
CHEETAHS – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Cohen Jasper, 13 Munier Hartzenberg, 12 Zander du Plessis, 11 Michael Annies, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 8 Gideon van der Merwe, 7 Sisonke Vumazonke, 6 Neels Volschenk, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 John-Kelly Okonkwo, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen (c), 1 Tielman Nieuwoudt.
Bench: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Frankie dos Reis, 18 Aranos Coetzee, 19 Curtly Thomas, 20 Ramon Uys, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 23 Prince Nkabinde.
Photo: Kian Abdullah/Gallo Images
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