Cheetahs suffer Super Sarel blow
The Cheetahs suffered a big blow in their quest to avoid finishing last in the Super Rugby competition.
They have lost the services of stalwart scrumhalf Sarel Pretoria in the build-up to their Round 14 encounter with the high-flying Brumbies in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Cheetahs assistant coach Hawies Fourie confirmed to rugby365 that Pretorius injured his ankle and will be sidelined for three to four weeks.
In one of two changes to the starting XV that lost to the Western Force last week Shaun Venter will start at No.9 in place of Pretorius.
The Free State Vodacom Cup scrumhalf Renier Botha will come onto the bench in the spot vacated by Venter's promotion and will make his Super Rugby debut if he comes off the bench.
The only other change for the encounter with the Brumbies is among the forwards – where Willem Serfontein will make his first Super Rugby start for the Cheetahs.
He replaces seasoned lock Waltie Vermeulen in the second row, with Vermeulen dropping down to the bench.
The rest of the team is unchanged.
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Rayno Benjamin, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Johannes Prinsloo, 7 Teboho Mohoje, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Willem Serfontein, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Nicolaas van Dyk, 19 Carel Greeff, 20 Waltie Vermeulen, 21 Renier Botha, 22 Elgar Watts, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
Date: Saturday, May 17
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT; 03.00, Sunday, May 18 AEST)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), Francois de Bruin (South Africa)
TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
By Jan de Koning
