Seven Cheetah cubs to face Bulls
February 09 2010
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské has named seven players without Super 14 experience in his 22-man squad to face the Bulls in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Riaan Viljoen (full-back), Lionel Mapoe (wing) and Ashley Johnson (number eight) will make their Super 14 debut in the starting line-up, while Ryno Barnes (hooker), Coenie Oosthuizen (prop), Walti Vermeulen (lock) and Sias Ebersohn (fly-half) will get the chance to play off the bench for the first time.
Despite the fresh faces in the Cheetahs matchday squad, Drotské has fielded a team with a predictable and settled look about it.
Springbok full-back Viljoen and impressive pivot Naas Olivier slot in from the Griquas while the bulk of the remaining players helped the Cheetahs to the Currie Cup final last year.
Cheetahs: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Juan Smith (c), 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Nico Breedt, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Waltie Vermeulen, 19 Frans Viljoen, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Danwel Demas.
Date: Friday, February 12
Venue: Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 19:10 (17:10 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant referee: Marius Jonker, Reuben Rossouw
TMO: Shaun Veldsman