Cape Town - The Cheetahs have hit back at claims from the Springbok camp that prop Trevor Nyakane is overweight.
Nyakane, 24, was on Sunday axed from the Bok squad for disciplinary reasons, with official word from the Bok camp saying he "repeatedly breached team protocol".
He missed a flight to the Bok training camp last week and also missed a video session without permission.
Sources close to the team said Nyakane's "constant eating" is also a big concern for the Bok coaching staff who believe his conditioning is not up to scratch.
However, Cheetahs fitness coach, Niel du Plessis, insists the prop does not need to lose weight and currently weighs the same as he did during the Super Rugby competition.
Du Plessis said Nyakane is also not following any new fitness programme, but just his own personalised one - as is the case with all the Cheetahs players.
"Trevor played all the Super-games and I don't think he would have done any better had he been lighter," Du Plessis told the Volksblad website.
"As long as Trevor can get around the park, carry the ball and scrum well, then there's not much wrong."
Nyakane's last game was the Super Rugby playoff against the Brumbies on July 21. He then had a week-and-a-half off before resuming training with Free State and joined the Bok camp about two weeks ago. And Du Plessis feels he is in even better shape than he was before he joined the Boks.
Meanwhile, Nyakane was on Tuesday included in the Free State side to take on the Sharks in a Currie Cup game in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Kick-off is at 19:10.
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs:
15. Hennie Daniller, 14. Riaan Smit, 13. Johann Sadie, 12. Robert Ebersohn, 11. Raymond Rhule, 10. Elgar Watts, 9. Sarel Pretorius, 8. Philip van der Walt, 7. Lappies Labuschagne, 6. Boom Prinsloo (captain), 5. Lood de Jager, 4. Teboho Mohoje, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Hercu Liebenberg, 1. Caylib Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16. Ethienne Reynecke, 17. Rossouw de Klerk, 18. Freddie Ngoza, 19. Davon Raubenheimer, 20. Kevin Luiters, 21. Willie du Plessis, 22. Joubert Engelbrecht
Sharks:
15. SP Marais, 14. Sizo Maseko, 13. Louis Ludik, 12. Heimar Williams, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Fred Zeilinga, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Jacques Botes (captain), 7. Jean Deysel, 6. Keegan Daniel, 5. Marco Wentzel, 4. Edwin Hewitt, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Kyle Cooper, 1. Dale Chadwick
Substitutes: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Rayno Gerber, 18. Peet Marais, 19. Tera Mtembu, 20. Cobus Reinach, 21. Butch James, 22. Jaco van Tonder
Nyakane, 24, was on Sunday axed from the Bok squad for disciplinary reasons, with official word from the Bok camp saying he "repeatedly breached team protocol".
He missed a flight to the Bok training camp last week and also missed a video session without permission.
Sources close to the team said Nyakane's "constant eating" is also a big concern for the Bok coaching staff who believe his conditioning is not up to scratch.
However, Cheetahs fitness coach, Niel du Plessis, insists the prop does not need to lose weight and currently weighs the same as he did during the Super Rugby competition.
Du Plessis said Nyakane is also not following any new fitness programme, but just his own personalised one - as is the case with all the Cheetahs players.
"Trevor played all the Super-games and I don't think he would have done any better had he been lighter," Du Plessis told the Volksblad website.
"As long as Trevor can get around the park, carry the ball and scrum well, then there's not much wrong."
Nyakane's last game was the Super Rugby playoff against the Brumbies on July 21. He then had a week-and-a-half off before resuming training with Free State and joined the Bok camp about two weeks ago. And Du Plessis feels he is in even better shape than he was before he joined the Boks.
Meanwhile, Nyakane was on Tuesday included in the Free State side to take on the Sharks in a Currie Cup game in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Kick-off is at 19:10.
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs:
15. Hennie Daniller, 14. Riaan Smit, 13. Johann Sadie, 12. Robert Ebersohn, 11. Raymond Rhule, 10. Elgar Watts, 9. Sarel Pretorius, 8. Philip van der Walt, 7. Lappies Labuschagne, 6. Boom Prinsloo (captain), 5. Lood de Jager, 4. Teboho Mohoje, 3. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Hercu Liebenberg, 1. Caylib Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16. Ethienne Reynecke, 17. Rossouw de Klerk, 18. Freddie Ngoza, 19. Davon Raubenheimer, 20. Kevin Luiters, 21. Willie du Plessis, 22. Joubert Engelbrecht
Sharks:
15. SP Marais, 14. Sizo Maseko, 13. Louis Ludik, 12. Heimar Williams, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Fred Zeilinga, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Jacques Botes (captain), 7. Jean Deysel, 6. Keegan Daniel, 5. Marco Wentzel, 4. Edwin Hewitt, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Kyle Cooper, 1. Dale Chadwick
Substitutes: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Rayno Gerber, 18. Peet Marais, 19. Tera Mtembu, 20. Cobus Reinach, 21. Butch James, 22. Jaco van Tonder