Cheetahs shop overseas for SR
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Naka Drotske has named his extended 55-man squad for the Cheetahs' 2015 Super Rugby season with his marque signing being french based former Stormer, Joe Pietersen.
The Cheetahs have added nine new acquisitions, as well as two Under-21 players in centre Nico lee and Currie Cup flank Tienie Burger to their roster.
Wing Sergeal Petersen, No.8 Willie Britz, centre JW Jonker, Prop Bennie Uys, flank Devin Oosthuizen, utility back Coenie van Wyk, prop Danie Mienie and flyhalf Clinton Swart are the newcomers alongside Pietersen who joins from French side Biarritz.
The Cheetahs acquisitions have come from far and wide with Petersen, Uys and Oosthuizen joining from the Kings while Jonker and Van Wyk will join from the Pumas and as such, they will leave the Lions where they played their Super Rugby last year.
Mienie and Swart will leave the Sharks and Falcons respectively.
Added to the squad are four injured players in lock Willem Serfontein, flank Hilton Lobberts, flyhalf Elgar Watts and centre PJ Vermeulen.
Drotske recently returned from a stint in Europe where he spent the Currie Cup campaign furthering his coaching knowledge.
His manifesto while overseas was to investigate the best possible coaching structures and other rugby matters that are available around the world.
It seems that the Cheetahs' coach has also been on a recruitment drive, picking up the foreign based Pietersen alongside a large contingent from South Africa.
Drotske will also have the services of foreign based players in Springbok Heinrich Brussow and centre Johan Sadie when they return from Japan.
The Cheetahs will have plenty of depth and skill in their back three with the likes of Raymond Rhule, Baby Bok Petersen, former Stormer Pietersen, Clayton Blommetjies, Willie le Roux, Rayno Benjamin, Ederies Arendse, Danie Dames, Van Wyk, and Gouws Prinsloo all looking to secure a spot.
However, at prop Drotske may be left thin on the tighthead side with Maks van Dyk the most experienced ahead of youngsters Luan de Bruin, Rudolph Botha, Ewald van der Westhuizen and Heinrich Roelfse.
Cheetahs Super Rugby Training Squad:
Forwards: Willie Britz, Jean Cook, Carel Greeff, Nicky Steyn, Teboho Mohoje, Devin Oosthuizen, Tienie Burger, Armandt Koster, Heinrich Brussow, Johannes Prinsloo, Francois Uys, Carl Wegner, Jaco Nepgen, Freddie Ngoza, Lodewyk de Jager, Jonathan Adendorf, Maks van Dyk, Luan de Bruin, Rudolph Botha, Ewald van der Westhuizen, Heinrich Roelfse, Martin Bezuidenhout, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Ryno Barnes, Elandre Huggett, Coenie Oosthuizen, Caylib Oosthuizen, Bennie Uys, Danie Mienie
Backs: Willie le Roux, Coenie van Wyk, Clayton Blommetjies, Gouws Prinsloo, Aubrey McDonald, Johann Sadie, JP du Plessis, Nico Lee, JW Jonker, Vuyo Mboto, Joubert Engelbrecht, Francois Venter, Jonathan Francke, Rayno Benjamin, Raymond Rhule, Cornal Hendricks, Sergeal Petersen, Ederies Arendse, Danie Dames, Joe Pietersen, Francois Brummer, Willie du Plessis, Clinton Swart, Sarel Pretorius, Shaun Venter, Tian Meyer
Injured: Willem Serfontein, Hilton Lobberts, Elgar Watts, PJ Vermeulen
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