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Cheetahs bring in Lourens

Werner Lourens will start at lock for the Free State Cheetahs against Western Province in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Lourens, who is on loan from the Griffons, replaces the versatile Henco Venter who moves to the bench.

He is one of three changes made to the starting XV by coach Rory Duncan.

JP du Plessis will run on at wing in the place of Rayno Benjamin who is nursing a hamstring injury while Neil Claassen gets a starting berth in the number seven jumper at the expense of Jean Cook who is struggling with a hamstring injury.

With Claassen at flank, Lappies Labuschagné moves to No.8 in the only positional switch.

Loose forward Vincent Jobo and utility player AJ Coertzen will take their respective places on the substitutes bench.

The Cheetahs are without Lood de Jager, who is doing duty with the Springboks, while Carl Wegner and Waltie Vermeulen remain on the injured list.

FS Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 JP du Plessis, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Willie du Plessis, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Lappies Labuschagné, 7 Neil Claassen, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Werner Lourens, 3 George Marich, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.

Replacements: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Henco Venter, 19 Vincent Jobo, 20 Shaun Venter, 21 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 22 AJ Coertzen.

Date: Saturday, October 4

Venue: Free State Stadium

Kick-off: 14.00 (12.00 GMT)

Referee: Marius Jonker

Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Rodney Bonaparte

TMO: Johan Greeff

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