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Cape Town - Free State Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen has been declared fit to play in their Currie Cup clash against the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské on Thursday confirmed to the Volksblad website that the flyhalf has been cleared by their medical staff.
Goosen has been out of action since March due to a knee injury and his expected return was cut short when he underwent an operation to remove his appendix late last month.
But after passing fitness tests on Thursday, the Springbok will now replace Piet Lindeque on the bench and be given 15-20 minutes against the Bulls.
The Cheetahs are currently third of the log and look likely to stay in the top four.
The Lions are one point behind them in fourth spot but the men from Johannesburg host the struggling Griquas on Saturday and are expected to claim maximum points.
Therefore - should the Lions do just that - the only way the Cheetahs could fall out of the top four is if the Bulls beat them with a bonus point and at the same time prevent Free State from getting any points themselves.
The Bulls are currently five points behind the Cheetahs in fifth spot.
Kick-off at the Free State Stadium is at 17:05 on Saturday.
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16 AJ Le Roux, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Teboho Mohoje, 19 Freddy Ngoza, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Johan Goosen, 22 Willie du Plessis
Blue Bulls:
15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross (captain), 5 David Bullbring, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Jean Cook, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Francois Venter, 22 Clayton Blommetjies
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské on Thursday confirmed to the Volksblad website that the flyhalf has been cleared by their medical staff.
Goosen has been out of action since March due to a knee injury and his expected return was cut short when he underwent an operation to remove his appendix late last month.
But after passing fitness tests on Thursday, the Springbok will now replace Piet Lindeque on the bench and be given 15-20 minutes against the Bulls.
The Cheetahs are currently third of the log and look likely to stay in the top four.
The Lions are one point behind them in fourth spot but the men from Johannesburg host the struggling Griquas on Saturday and are expected to claim maximum points.
Therefore - should the Lions do just that - the only way the Cheetahs could fall out of the top four is if the Bulls beat them with a bonus point and at the same time prevent Free State from getting any points themselves.
The Bulls are currently five points behind the Cheetahs in fifth spot.
Kick-off at the Free State Stadium is at 17:05 on Saturday.
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16 AJ Le Roux, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Teboho Mohoje, 19 Freddy Ngoza, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Johan Goosen, 22 Willie du Plessis
Blue Bulls:
15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross (captain), 5 David Bullbring, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Jean Cook, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Francois Venter, 22 Clayton Blommetjies
