The Cheetahs received a timely boost ahead of their Super Rugby crunch match with the defending champion Bulls on Friday.
Inspirational captain Juan Smith passed a fitness test and will lead the team out in Bloemfontein.
rugby365
Smith, who missed a large portion of the 2010 season through injury and personal issues, suffered a calf strain in the pre-season build-up and missed last week’s 9-24 loss to the Sharks.
Smith’s inclusion in the side is one of three changes to the starting XV – two of which are injury related. Smith takes the place of Philip van der Walton the flank and also takes over the captaincy from injured hooker Adriaan Strauss (fracture hand).
Ryno Barnes will start at hooker and Skipper Badenhorst comes in on the bench as cover in the front row.
The only change not related to injury is at lock, where Waltie Vermeulen will start alongside Wilhelm Steenkamp and Francois Uys drops down to the bench.
The inclusion of Vermeulen, alongside former Bull Steenkamp, is a move to counter the Bulls’ incredible line-out prowess – spearheaded by Victor Matfield.
Apart from Matfield, the Bulls field line-out specialist in Bakkies Botha and Pierre Spies in the starting XV, with Flip van der Merwe and Danie Rossouw set to come off the bench.
Steenkamp, an apprentice of Matfield during his stay in Pretoria before his move in the off-season, could be a key player on Friday.
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Philip Burger, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Ryno Benjamin, 10 Naas Olivier (vice-captain), 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Kabamba Floors, 7 Juan Smith (captain), 6 Frans Viljoen, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Waltie Vermeulen, 3 WP Nel, 2 Rayno Barnes, 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 Kobus Calldo, 18 Francois Uys, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Riaan Viljoen.
Date: Friday, February 25
Venue: Free State stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee (South Africa)
28@ The Saint:
Ek voorspel NIE so NIE.
Kom ek en jy vat ‘n weddenskap, vandag… Ek sê die Springbokke verloor in die semi van die Wêreldbeker, as hulle sovêr deurdring… met ander woorde ek sê die Springbokke haal NIE die Finaal NIE.
Hoe klink daai vir ‘n goeie weddenskap?
29@ smallies72:
Juan is ‘n Yster….
@ grootblousmile:
Flokkit GBS, ek dog ons praat van Superugby…maar ek voel tog positief oor die bokke, ek dink ons gaan semi speel teen Frankryk, en Australie in die finaal kry.
Ok ek moet wees…
Sterkte aan AL die spanne…en fok AL die refs…dankie.
33@ The Saint:
Ek voorspel ‘n Quarter teen Ierland en ‘n semi teen die All Blacks….
Gaan kyk mooi na hoe die Pools opgemaak is en wie van watter Pool speel teen wie van ‘n ander Pool.
Bokke behoort bo te eindig in hulle Pool…. Ierland behoort 2de te eindig in hulle Pool… Span 1 van ons Pool speel teen Span 2 van daai Pool in die Quarters….
Die All Blacks sal 1ste eindig in hulle Pool en deurdring deur die Quarters… wat dan beteken dat ons of Ierland teen hulle te staan gaan kom in die 1 semi….
Gaan loer moer mooi…. jy sal sien hoe dit werk.
@ grootblousmile:
Hy het volgens my verby andre venter geskuif en dit se als hulle is twee van die grootste spelers wat die land op gelewer het, alby gee gee my hoendervleis as ek hulle sien speel saam met os is dit my all time graetest spelers
36@ smallies72:
Groot woorde daai…. mens moet maar versigtig wees, paar groot geeste het al daai Nr 7 trui gedra…. om ‘n paar te noem… Jan Ellis, Theuns Stoffberg, Ruben Kruger, Andre Venter, Juan Smith en nog ‘n paar ander legendes… en dit net in die afgelope 35 tot 40 jaar
@ grootblousmile:
Toe ruben by die vrystaat was het hy nr 6 gedra joe beukes was 7 ruben was in my oe altyd n ses so ek sit hom by die ses vlanke hy het by die bokke 7 gedra net omdat fransois ses was nie waar nie
@ grootblousmile:
Dis net bles ouens wat op hulle voorkoppe sweet
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