The Toyota Cheetahs have started their preparations for the 2016 Super Rugby tournament by naming a 51-man pre-season squad.
The squad features a number of players who featured in the ABSA Currie Cup this year, in coach Franco Smith’s debut season in charge.
Springbok Lood de Jager is included in the squad after returning from South Africa’s Rugby World Cup campaign in England.
They will be facing the team from Argentina in their 1st Super Rugby encounter for 2016 on 26 February.
Toyota Cheetahs squad:
Justin Basson, Rayno Benjamin, Clayton Blommetjies, Tienie Burger, Willie Britz, Johan Coetzee, Luan de Bruin, Lood de Jager, Maphutha Dolo, Jacques du Toit, Joseph Dweba, Sias Ebersohn, Joubert Engelbrecht, Reinhardt Erwee, Elandre Huggett, Reniel Hugo, Niell Jordaan, Armandt Koster, Tertius Kruger, Nico Lee, Hilton Lobberts, Niel Marias, Steven Meiring, Tian Meyer, Danie Mienie, Zee Mkhabela, Oupa Mohoje, Uzair Cassiem, Teunis Nieuwoudt, Gerhard Olivier, Sergeal Petersen, Boom Prinsloo, Niel Rautenbach, Raymond Rhule, Willem Serfontein, Paul Schoeman, William Small-Smith, JP Smith, BG Uys, Francois Uys, Michael van der Spuy, Maks van Dyk, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Ruan van Rensburg, Coenie van Wyk, Francois Venter, Henco Venter, Shaun Venter, Dennis Visser, Carl Wegner and Fred Zeilinga.
Toyota Cheetahs 2016 Super Rugby Fixtures:
- 26 February: Toyota Cheetahs vs Argentina Team
- 5 March: Toyota Cheetahs vs DHL Stormers
- 12 March: Sunwolves (Japan team) vs Toyota Cheetahs
- 19 March: Emirates Lions vs Toyota Cheetahs
- 26 March: Toyota Cheetahs vs Brumbies
- 2 April: Vodacom Bulls vs Toyota Cheetahs
- 5 April: Toyota Cheetahs vs Sunwolves (Japan team)
- 22 April: Melbourne Rebels vs Toyota Cheetahs
- 30 April: Reds vs Toyota Cheetahs
- 7 May: Waratahs vs Toyota Cheetahs
- 14 May: Toyota Cheetahs vs Southern Kings
- 28 May: DHL Stormers vs Toyota Cheetahs
- 2 July: Toyota Cheetahs vs Western Force
- 9 July: Cell C Sharks vs Toyota Cheetahs
- 16 July: Toyota Cheetahs vs Vodacom Bulls
OK, so the Cheetahs squad is about settled, so too I think the Lions squad…
Now just 4 SA Super Rugby squads to go…
Wonder if we will have those squads by December sometime already, last year and the years before, some of the SA Super Rugby sides was only announced in freegin January!
Now that I take a close look at the squad, their run-on 15 should be alright, but heck, depth looks a real problem!
2 @ grootblousmile:
Always the problem at the Cheetahs.
3 @ Scrumdown:
No doubt some of the no-name players will come through nicely at the Cheetahs… they always do in Bloemfontein.
But there are critical shortfalls in a few critical positions!
Sharks have announced a two match tour of France as part of their Super Rugby preparations. Playing against Toulon on 5th February and Toulouse on 11th February.
@ grootblousmile: Agreed, Looks way better than last year. So glad they let Caylib Oosthuizen go. Man, what a useless scrummager.
All of a sudden we have some proper locks. With the likes of Lood, Carl Wegner, and Dennis Visser, it is maybe an option to play Uys at 7.
What are your thoughts on a team like this Rudi?
Daniel Mienie, Torsten, Luan de Bruin, Lood, Dennis Visser, Paul Schoeman, Francois Uys, Willie Britz, Tian Meyer, Zeilinga, Rhule, Francois Venter, William Small-Smith, Petersen, Blommetjies.
Subs: BG Uys, Jacques du Toit, Carl Wegner, Boom Prinsloo, Shaun Venter, Neil Marais, Rayno Benjamin
And which areas do you see as weaknesses?
My final squad of 39 without knowing form and injury, would be:
LH: BG Uys, Danie Mienie, Teunis Nieuwoudt
HKR: Jacques du Toit, Torsten v Jaarsveld, Joseph Dweba
TH: Luan de Bruin, Maks van Dyk, Johan (Aranos) Coetzee
4L: Boela Serfontein, Lood de Jager, Justin Basson
5L: Carl Wegner, Reniel Hugo, Dennis Visser
6: Boom Prinsloo, Paul Schoeman
7: Francois Uys, Henco Venter, Uzair Cassiem, Oupa Mohoje
8: Niell Jordaan, Willie Britz
9: Shaun Venter, Tiaan Meyer, JP Smith
10: Fred Zeilinga, Niel Marais, Sias Ebersohn
11: Raymond Rhule, Sergeal Petersen
12 Michael vd Spuy, Joubert Engelbrecht
13. Francois Venter , William Small-Smith, Nico Lee
14. Clayton Blommetjies Ryno Benjamin
15: Coenie van Wyk
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