Photo Credit: Speedshots.co.za
The Toyota Cheetahs will host Eastern Province today @ 15h00 in Bloemfontein. Toyota Cheetahs said that his team will not be distracted by the Eastern Province negative play and off the ball shenanigans and will keep to their gameplan.
The Cheetahs lost to the Pumas 15-22 in round 3 of the Preparation Series but will definately have the manpower to dominate a substandard Eastern Province in all aspects.
Hawies Fourie has selected two promising youngsters for the Toyota Cheetahs. Marcell Muller, who was still at school in 2019, will be making his debut for the Toyota Cheetahs at left-wing, while Gideon van Wyk, a former SA Schools loose-forward, has been included on the bench and will earn his first cap for the Free Staters when he sets foot to field.
The inclusion of Muller in the No 11 jersey means a slight tweak in the back trio, with Craig Barry moving to fullback and Rhyno Smith to the right-wing.
Malcolm Jaer drops out of the match-23, while Ruan Pienaar will do duty off the bench with Ruben de Haas starting at scrumhalf.
Upfront, Andisa Ntsila is back at No 8, while Rynier Bernardo and Carl Wegner rotate at lock, with the latter included on the bench.
Fourie has also named two new starting props in Conraad van Vuuren and Alulutho Tsakweni, with Schalk Ferreira and Aranos Coetzee providing cover off the bench.
The Toyota Cheetahs have announced that a number of players are not available, for various injury or illness related reasons. They are Charles Marais (neck), Junior Pokomela (wrist), William Small-Smith (concussion), Louis van der Westhuizen (knee), Jeandre Rudolph (calf), Brandon Thomson (back strain), Khutha Mchunu (neck), Marnus van der Merwe (hamstring), Dries Swanepoel (calf), Duncan Saal (quad), Jacques Potgieter (flu).
Inny Radebe is back at flyhalf and will lead Eastern Province today. Radebe missed the Elephants’ second and third preparation matches after picking up a hand injury in their opening clash against the Vodacom Bulls.
As a result, Courtney Winnaar moves back to fullback with Peter de Villiers (coach) forced to make a number of changes as players in the EP squad are struggling with injury and illness.
Josia Twum-Boafo (left-wing) and Ethan Jantjies (scrumhalf) will start this weekend, while the Elephants also welcome back the experienced CJ Velleman, who is back on the side of the scrum in the No 6 shirt.
In another interesting change, Marzuq Maarman moves from loosehead to tighthead prop, while Siya Nzuzo will start in the No 1 jersey.
Toyota Cheetahs: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Rhyno Smith, 13 Chris Smit, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Marcell Muller, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruben de Haas, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Chris Massyn, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Alulutho Tsakweni. Replacements: 16 Janus Venter, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Aranos Coetzee, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Gideon van Wyk, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Ruan Pienaar, 23 Clayton Blommetjies.
Eastern Province: 15 Courtney Winnaar, 14 Xolela Payi, 13 Athi Mayinye, 12 Sherwin Slater, 11 Josia Twum-Boafo, 10 Inny Radebe (captain), 9 Ethan Jantjies, 8 Luigy van Jaarsveld, Anele Lungisa, 6 CJ Velleman, 5 Arnold Kleyn, 4 Athenkosi Khetani, 3 Marzuq Maarman, 2 Robin Stevens, 1 Siya Nzuzo. Replacements: 16 Sithembiso Befile, 17 Lyle Lombaard, 18 Emile Klassen, 19 Ntsika Fisante, 20 Diego Williams, 21 Sachin Toring, 22 Divian Swanepoel, 23 Lennox Holster.