Cheetahs name PRO14 and Currie Cup squad
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Free State Cheetahs will open their 2018 Currie Cup campaign by playing against the four strongest teams in the first four weeks of the competition.
The Currie Cup Premier division kicks off on Friday, August 17 with the Free State Cheetahs playing the Blue Bulls in their first home game of the season, in Bloemfontein at Stadium.
The Cheetahs will be without the services of prop Charles Marais and lock Walt Steenkamp for the first two rounds of the competition.
Marais is struggling with a knee injury and Steenkamp is nursing a damaged shoulder.
Their second Currie Cup match will be against Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday, August 25, followed by another home game in Bloemfontein against the Sharks on Saturday, September 1, and the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday, September 8.
While their Pro14 campaign starts with an away clash against Munster on September 1.
The Cheetahs will wear a newly designed playing strip in the 2018/19 Pro14 season.
The well recognized Orange jersey are now broken up with white hoops and will be accompanied by orange shorts and orange socks.
The Cheetahs alternative strip will consist of a crisp white traditional jersey accompanied by white shorts and orange socks to give the more traditional Cheetahs look and feel.
The 2018 Free State Currie Cup jersey was inspired by the 2006 and 2007 strip in which the Free State Cheetahs won the prestigious trophy. This new retro design will be paired with black shorts and the traditional red socks.
Cheetahs:
Forwards: Aranos Coetzee, Luan de Bruin, Erich de Jager, Gunther Janse van Vuuren, Johan Kotze, Charles Marais, Ox Nche, Boan Venter, Quintin Vorster, Jacques du Toit, Joseph Dweba, Elandre Huggett, Rienach Venter, Marnus van der Merwe, Jannes Snyman, Justin Basson, Louis Conradie, JP du Preez, Sibabalo Qoma, Walt Steenkamp, Dennis Visser, Stephan Malan, Daniel Maartens, Oupa Mohoje, Gerhard Olivier, Ntokozo Vidima, Jasper Wiese, Luigi van Jaarsveld, Aidon Davis, Niell Jordaan, Junior Pokomela
Backs: Dian Badenhorst, Ruben de Haas, Tian Meyer, Zee Mkhabela, Rudy Paige, Ruan van Rensburg, Shaun Venter, Tian Schoeman, Ryno Eksteen, Louis Fouche, Neill Stannard, Ernst Stapelberg, Carel-Jan Coetzee, Vuyani Maqina, Rabz Maxwane, Lloyd Greeff, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Tertius Kruger, Nico Lee, Ali Mgijima, William Small-Smith, Dries Swanepoel, Adriaan Carelse, Malcolm Jaer.
