Hendrik Cronjé

Bloemfontein – Free State’s loose forwards will be key players in Saturday’s Currie Cup match against the Blue Bulls at Vodacom Park.

The Free Staters will have to manage without Heinrich Brüssow, Juan Smith and Frans Viljoen.

But with a second-choice loose-trio that includes two Springboks, a Sevens Springbok and a third Bok on the bench, it simply makes sense that the home team places a lot of emphasis on the battle in the loose.

It will also serve as big motivation for Free State that Kabamba Floors plays in his 100th Currie Cup match and that Hendro Scholtz will be hoping for a farewell gift.

Floors (29) will be playing in his 73rd game for the Cheetahs after representing South Western Districts 27 times earlier in his career.

The career of the 31-year-old Scholtz is set to come to an end shortly and Sport24 understands that he will soon sign a contract with an overseas side.

Saturday’s match will be Scholtz’s 96th and possibly his last in the Currie Cup for Free State.

Team line-ups:

Free State Cheetahs:
15. Hennie Daniller, 14. Philip Snyman, 13. Robert Ebersohn, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Jongi Nokwe, 10. Louis Strydom, 9. Tewis de Bruyn, 8. Ashley Johnson, 7. Christoffel Philippus Van der Walt, 6. Hendro Scholtz, 5. Waltie Vermeulen, 4. Francois Uys, 3. Kobus Calldo, 2. Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1. Coenie Oosthuizen

Replacements: 16. Skipper Badenhorst, 17. Willem Petrus (WP) Nel, 18. Izak van der Westhuizen, 19. Kabamba Floors, 20. Tertius Carse, 21. Sias Ebersohn, 22. Corné Uys

Blue Bulls:
15. Zane Kirchner, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Jaco Pretorius, 12. Stefan Watermeyer, 11. Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 10. Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9. Francois Hougaard, 8. Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7. Christiaan Johan Stander, 6. Derick Kuun (captain), 5. Juandre Kruger, 4. Flip van der Merwe, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1. Dean Greyling

Replacements: 16. Gary Botha, 17. Rossouw De Klerk, 18. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19. Okkie Kruger, 20. Dustin Jinka, 21. Stephan Dippenaar, 22. Jaco Engels