Cheetahs bring out Bok heavyweights for Griquas
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs have named some of the biggest names in the game in their team for their opening Currie Cup match.
The Cheetahs travel to Kimberley on Friday to start the 2023 season against last year’s beaten finalists, Griquas – a team that demolished them (46-18) in their last meeting in the Northern Cape capital in May last year.
Springbok veteran and two-time World Cup winner Frans Steyn headline the Round One selection.
Steyn, 35, returns at inside centre after missing the Cheetahs’ two Challenge Cup outings in Europe due to persistent hamstring injuries.
His experience of 78 Tests and 280-odd first-class games will come in handy in helping the Cheetahs through what will be a nervous opening encounter.
Also back from injury is veteran utility back Ruan Pienaar, who will start at scrumhalf and also serve as vice-captain – helping lock Victor Sekekete with the leadership duties.
Pienaar, 38, has the experience of 88 Tests and more than 300 first-class games to fall back on.
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie said it was a ‘blessing in disguise’ that they managed to advance to the last-16 in Europe without the two veterans Boks.
However, they will play a vital role in the first three rounds of the Currie Cup – ahead of their trip to Toulon on April 1.
(Article continues below the Hawies Fourie interview …)
“It is good to have them back, especially Frans,” Fourie told @rugby365com.
“He has trained well and is over all his injury niggles. I am excited to see him back on the field.”
Pienaar, in what is likely his last season before he walks off into the proverbial retirement sunset, remains an important cog in a developing Cheetahs team.
“He makes a lot of the decisions and is our [first-choice] goal-kicker.”
Another player back from injury is flank Gideon van der Merwe, who missed the last nine months after knee surgery – the result of a freak training ground injury.
The selection of utility forward Friedle Olivier as a blindside flank will add further muscle to an already impressive Cheetahs pack.
Olivier, a late bloomer, played 80-odd games for the Falcons between 2013 and 2019, before a sting with Russian outfit Enisei-STM.
He arrived in Bloemfontein last year and the 30-year-old will make his Currie Cup debut for the Cheetahs on Friday.
“It is a pity we didn’t know about him earlier,” the Cheetahs coach said about a player he feels has another five years of first-class action in his body.
“He is a quality player that works really hard.
“He will be a good first for us in the Currie Cup.”
The Cheetahs still have a host of players not available for selection as a result of injury – including Siyabonga Masuku (elbow), Enver Brandt (knee), Aranos Coetzee (calf), Jean Droste (knee), George Cronje (knee), David Brits (shoulder), Marne Coetzee (neck) and George Lourens (ankle).
Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Munier Hartzenberg, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandrè Rudolph, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (Captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Hencus van Wyk, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Evardi Boshoff, 23 Cohen Jasper.
Date: Friday, March 10
Venue: Griqua Park, Kimberley
Kick-off: 16.00 (14.00 GMT)
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
Assistant referees: Jason Morrow and Dewald Smit
TMO: Quinton Immelman
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