Cheetahs get their 'Oupa' back
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie has been forced into making changes, yet again, for his team’s Currie Cup Round Five encounter with the Sharks.
The good news is that Sevens star Rosko Specman makes a welcome return from his injury and joins William Small-Smith on the wings.
Frans Steyn moves from flyhalf to inside centre and will be joined in the midfield by Dries Swanepoel.
Reinhardt Fortuin returns as the starting flyhalf, having made his Cheetahs Currie Cup against the Bulls three weeks ago.
The Cheetahs were forced into a change among the forwards, with Aidon Davis replaced by Teboho Mohojé, with Davis ruled out due to a calf injury.
Conraad van Vuuren will be making his debut for the Cheetahs if he gets game time from the bench.
The Cheetahs still have a host of players who are not available due to injury – including Aranos Coetzee (ankle), Ruan Pienaar (knee), Craig Barry (knee), Charles Marais (neck), Junior Pokomela (wrist), Hencus van Wyk (hamstring) and Aidon Davis (calf).
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruben de Haas, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Teboho Mohojé, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Carl Wegner (captain), 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Boan Venter.
Replacement: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Victor Sekekete, 20 Chris Massyn, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Rhyno Smith.
Date: Sunday, December 27
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 16.30 (14.30 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron, Griffin Colby
TMO: Jaco Peyper
