Cape Town - Centre Robert Ebersohn will captain the Free State Cheetahs in their Currie Cup opener against the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Ebersohn will take over from Adriaan Strauss, who is with the Springbok squad preparing for the Rugby Championship.
"Robert is a strong leader and was also captain at Grey College (his school in Bloemfontein)," Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské told Volksblad.
Injured Springbok flank, Heinrich Brüssow (knee), is still expected to be sidelined for a few weeks and his place will be taken by Blitzbok Boom Prinsloo who has recovered from a hip injury.
Another notable inclusion is at left wing where the 19-year-old Baby Bok wing Raymond Rhule will make his Currie Cup debut.
Rhule, who can play centre, wing, or fullback, has had an impressive season to date. His fine form for Shimlas in the Varsity Cup was followed by helping the Baby Boks win the IRB Junior World Championship. Last week he scored a hat-trick for Free State's Under-21 team against Border which prompted Drotské to promote the youngster to the senior ranks.
"He's a game breaker and lethal on attack. We'd like to give him a chance," said Drotské.
The clash at Coca-Cola Park kicks off at 17:05.
Teams:
Lions:
TBA
Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Robert Ebersohn (captain), 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Pieter van Zyl, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Lappies Labuschagné, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Waltie Vermeulen, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Substitutes: TBA
Ebersohn will take over from Adriaan Strauss, who is with the Springbok squad preparing for the Rugby Championship.
"Robert is a strong leader and was also captain at Grey College (his school in Bloemfontein)," Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské told Volksblad.
Injured Springbok flank, Heinrich Brüssow (knee), is still expected to be sidelined for a few weeks and his place will be taken by Blitzbok Boom Prinsloo who has recovered from a hip injury.
Another notable inclusion is at left wing where the 19-year-old Baby Bok wing Raymond Rhule will make his Currie Cup debut.
Rhule, who can play centre, wing, or fullback, has had an impressive season to date. His fine form for Shimlas in the Varsity Cup was followed by helping the Baby Boks win the IRB Junior World Championship. Last week he scored a hat-trick for Free State's Under-21 team against Border which prompted Drotské to promote the youngster to the senior ranks.
"He's a game breaker and lethal on attack. We'd like to give him a chance," said Drotské.
The clash at Coca-Cola Park kicks off at 17:05.
Teams:
Lions:
TBA
Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Robert Ebersohn (captain), 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Pieter van Zyl, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Lappies Labuschagné, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Waltie Vermeulen, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Substitutes: TBA