Super Sarel is back
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské has left his starting XV unchanged for the all-South African Super Rugby derby with the Southern Kings.
However, there has been significant changes to the bench for this match in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Another huge plus for the Cheetahs is the return of star scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, who has recovered from a hamstring injury to help bolster the replacement bench.
Elgar Watts has been included among the replacements, while prop Trevor Nyakane (hip injury) passed a fitness test and could be utilised as an impact player.
"Both Sarel and Elgar are attacking players that we can utilise in the second half against the Kings," Drotské said.
Prop Coenie Oosthuizen will be playing in his 50th Super Rugby match.
After beating the Sharks in Durban last week, the Cheetahs are lying second in the SA conference, but Drotské is not underestimating the opposition.
"The Kings are a very good team that don't get the credit they deserve," the Cheetahs coach said.
Cheetahs: 16 Hennie Daniller, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Burton Francis, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Phillip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Rynhard Landman, 19 Frans Viljoen, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Francois Brummer, 22 Ryno Benjamin.
Date: Saturday, April 26
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan White (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Stefan Breytenbach (South Africa)
TMO: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
