Publications
Partners
Kimberley - Griquas centre Jonathan Francke, cleared to play after receiving a red card for a dangerous tackle last weekend against the Sharks, was named on the bench for Saturday's clash against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Coach Hawies Fourie made a couple of changes to his starting line up after a disruptive week waiting for a decision on Francke.
Stalwart flank Hilton Lobberts was struggling with a hamstring injury and not able to play. Maks van Dyk, the only prop in the current set up with Super Rugby experience, was relegated to the bench after a average performance against the Durban side, while winger Danie Dames was out with an injury.
"We've made changes to the side as we deemed necessary and one of those means that Maks will get game time from the bench," Fourie said.
"With Hilton and Danie injured, we have included RJ Liebenberg and Edries Arendse respectively, while Ewald van der Westhuizen gets his chance in the prop position.
"Jonathan is also on the bench after the whole red card incident and is replaced by the PJ Vermeulen at centre."
The Cheetahs were without props Coenie and Caylib Oosthuizen, and a number of players involved with the Springboks, but Fourie would not buy into the "favourites" banter which was part of the build up to Saturday's clash against their neighbours.
"We know what a huge challenge the Cheetahs will be. They always lift their game at their home ground.
"The put in a good performance against the Pumas last weekend even though they lost and we won't make the mistake of underestimating them.
"We've kept the rest of the side as is and hopefully that momentum will give us a much
needed boost after the loss to the Sharks."
Teams:
Cheetahs:
15 AJ Coertzen, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Joubert
Engelbrecht, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Boom
Prinsloo, 7 Jean Cook, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Carl Wegner, 3
Luan de Bruin, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld (captain), 1 Kevin Stevens.
Substitutes: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Dolph Botha, 18 Neil Claassen, 19 Waltie
Vermeulen, 20 Shaun Venter, 21 Willie du Plessis, 22 JP du Plessis.
Griquas:
15.
Nico Scheepers, 14. Edries Arendse, 13. PJ Vermeulen, 12. Wayne
Stevens (captain), 11. Rocco Jansen, 10. Francois Brummer, 9. Tian
Meyer, 8. Carel Greeff, 7. RJ Liebenberg, 6. Marnus Schoeman, 5. Jaco
Nepgen, 4. Willem Serfontein, 3. Ewald Van Der Westhuizen, 2. Ryno
Barnes, 1. Steph Roberts
16. Martin Bezuidenhout, 17.
Maks Van Dyk, 18. Hugo Kloppers, 19. Burger Schoeman, 20. Abrie
Griesel, 21. Marais Schmidt, 22. Jonathan Francke
