Toyota Free State Coach Naka Drotske, continues to pull rabbits out of the hat. He has taken the bold step of dropping embattled flyhalf, Sias Ebersohn to the bench, and has put Tewis de Bruyn in the 10 jersey. Tewis is not unfamiliar in the position, and has performed admirably in the crucial flyhalf channel before. In last years Currie Cup match vs Griquas, in Kimberely, he delivered a match winning performance. This could just be the catalyst, to get the exciting Cheetahs backs going again. The Cheetahs have battled to be an attacking force, eversince Johan Goosen was injured, during the match vs the Highlanders, back in April.

In other changes, veteran Hendro Scholtz gets a start at 8, displacing Davon Raubenheimer, who drops to the bench. Francois Uys, replaces Andries Ferreira at 4. The Cheetahs have decided to have Ferreira’s knee operated on, and so he is out for the season.

The Team:

15. Hennie Daniller, 14. Nico Scheepers, 13. Robert Ebersohn (Captain), 12. Andries Strauss, 11. Raymond Rhule, 10. Tewis du Bruyn, 9. Sarel Pretorius, 8. Hendro Scholtz, 7. Lappies Labuschagne, 6. Heinrich Brussow, 5. Izak van der Westhuizen (Vice Captain), 4. Francois Uys, 3. Marcel van der Merwe, 2. Hercu Liebenberg, 1. Schalk van der Merwe.

Replacements: 16. Elandré Huggett, 17. Ross Geldenhuys, 18. Carl Wegner, 19. Davon Raubenheimer, 20. Sias Ebersohn, 21. Phillip Snyman, 22. Rayno Benjamin.

Further good news for the embattled coach, is that Coenie Oosthuizen, has returned to training, and could get 40 minutes game time vs The Bulls, if all goes well during training this week. Of course, the Springbok coach’s penchant for picking players fresh back from injury, might mean, that Naka’s relief is short-lived.