Nyakane handed first start
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Trevor Nyakane will start his first game of Super Rugby this weekend as the Cheetahs take on the Chiefs in Bloemfontein.
The Springbok prop, who can play either tighthead or loosehead, has warmed the bench for the Cheetahs in the competition so far but has been selected to start over other front rowers who have been struggling with injury niggles.
Coach Naka Drotske this week has been waiting on scans for another Springbok prop, Coenie Oosthuizen, who withdrew from the Cheetah's Australasian tour a few weeks back with a neck injury.
Oosthuizen has not yet recovered and will not feature in the matchday 23.
The Cheetahs' other prop, Caylib Oosthuizen, is struggling with a hamstring injury and will revert to the bench with specialist tighthead Nicolaas van Dyk retaining his starting spot.
The Cheetahs are coming off a bye following a tough Australasian tour where they were unable to repeat the heroics of last season, winning a record three consecutive games overseas – this time they came back empty handed.
The Cheetahs will be hoping to overcome a Chiefs team that has faltered in the past couple of weeks, loosing to the Western Force before fighting back for a draw against the Bulls most recently
Other changes to the Cheetahs' pack sees Pieter Labuschagné return to the starting line up with Jean Cook moving to No.8 due to Philip van der Walt's fractured hand. Rossouw de Klerk fills the vacant spot on the bench.
The Cheetahs' backline remains the same with Springbok Sevens veteran Ryno Benjamin holding onto the No.12 jersey.
Cheetahs: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Ryno Benjamin, 11 Hennie Daniller, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jean Cook, 7 Pieter Labuschagné, 6 Johannes Prinsloo, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Nicolaas van Dyk, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Rossouw de Klerk, 19 Andries Ferreira, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Elgar Watts, 23 Howard Mnisi.
Date : Saturday, April 5
Venue : Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick Off: 15.00 (14.00 GMT; 02.00 AM Sunday – NZ time)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Stuart Berry, Francois de Bruin (South Africa)
TMO: Deon van Blommenstein (South Africa)
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