Smit to play pivotal role for Cheetahs
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské on Wednesday made one change to the side to meet the Sharks in their Super Rugby clash in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Drotské included seasoned Riaan Smit in the run-on side and named him ahead of the younger Sias Ebersohn in the No.10 jersey.
Smit’s inclusion in the starting line-up and Ebersohn’s relegation to the bench is the only change to the Cheetahs side that narrowly lost to the Stormers on Saturday.
It comes after Ebersohn horror show last week, which saw him replaced at half-time, and the shocking kicking performance against the Highlanders the week before.
Near the end of the match, he missed possibly one of the easiest kicks at goal, a kick that could have given his side a much-needed victory.
It also shows up the gaping hole left by the season-ending shoulder injury suffered to first-choice flyhalf Johan Goosen.
Ever since Ebersohn had to fill the shoes of the injured playmaker, Goosen, he has struggled to regain the form that branded him one of the side’s best players 2011.
“With Sias it is a confidence thing. It is something he needs to sort out for himself,” Drotské said.
“Yes, he will be on the bench, but he can still make a huge impact as a replacement in the second half.”
In Patrick Lambie, the Sharks will field a young, but experienced flyhalf and Drotské would want his starting flyhalf to be at his best.
Smit not only had a solid Vodacom Cup campaign, but also impressed against the Stormers with his goalkicking and ability on the attack.
“Riaan did very well when he came onto the field,” Drotské said.
“It will be good to give him a chance in the starting line-up. He hasn’t played a lot of Super Rugby thus far this season, but we know what he is capable of.
“He showed against the Stormers that he is a good attacking player and that he has kept his goal kicking up to par.”
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Cameron Jacobs, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Piet van Zyl , 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 George Earle, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman.
Date: Saturday, May 19
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rashivenga (South Africa), Tiaan Jonker (South Africa)
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee (South Africa)
