Cheetahs looking to erase zero
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Free State Cheetahs will look to erase the big ZERO from their record when they host the Pumas in Bloemfontein on Friday.
It is the Cheetahs’ final match of the abbreviated Currie Cup season.
Having lost all five their previous outings and virtually guaranteed to finish last, they are desperate to avoid going through an entire season without a single win.
It will be the first time in more than a century that the Cheetahs have failed to win a single Currie Cup game in a season.
Back in 1894 they lost all three their matches in the competition and in 1898 they lost all four fixtures.
Since then they have managed at least one win and won the competition as recently as 2016.
Coach Daan Human has made a number of changes to his young team.
Dennis Visser will be starting at No.4 lock, with Abongile Nonkontwana moving to the flank.
Jannes Snyman will be replacing Nardus Erasmus on the other flank, No.7.
Daniel Maartens will be starting at No.8.
Elandre Huggett returns from injury to start at hooker.
Stephan van Schalkwyk will be providing cover on the bench.
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Adriaan Carelse, 14 Ali Mgijima, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Vuyani Maqina, 10 Ernst Stapelberg, 9 Rudy Paige (captain), 8 Daniel Maartens, 7 Jannes Snyman, 6 Abongile Nonkontwana, 5 Louis Conradie, 4 Dennis Visser, 3 Reinach Venter, 2 Elandre Huggett, 1 Johan Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Hanno Snyman, 17 Stephan van Schalkwyk, 18 Nardus Erasmus, 19 Luigy van Jaarsveld, 20 Dian Badenhorst, 21 Reinhardt Erwee, 22 Maputa Dolo.
Date: Friday, September 21
Venue: Free State stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Ben Crouse and Jaco Kotze
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe
Team Announcement | @TheCurrieCup @CheetahsRugby will be facing the Pumas on Friday at 17:00 in their last Currie Cup match of the season.
Be part of the Rugby festival on Friday in Toyota Stadium.
Team 👇https://t.co/mptZCeCtoh pic.twitter.com/9Ve8eYSch0— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) September 19, 2018
