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Bloemfontein - Springbok eighthman Ashley Johnson’s up-and-down Super Rugby career shows no sign of steadying.
Johnson has been struggling since last year to play consistently well in the tournament. Now he has been dropped to the substitute's bench for the match against the Blues.
It is one of five changes to the Cheetahs’ starting line-up that lost 8-41 against the Reds.
While Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské has said that the changes are due to the use of the squad system, Sport24 understands that the coaching team is not entirely satisfied with Johnson’s form on tour.
Griquas No 8 Davon Raubenheimer has been picked ahead of Johnson and will turn out for the team for first time on Saturday.
Raubenheimer made his debut for the Cheetahs in 2010, but is currently not even making the Griquas’ starting line-up in the Vodacom Cup.
Fortunately promising Griquas loose forward Leon Karemaker is set to join the side after the match against the Blues in New Zealand and he may well make his debut in the last tour game against the Highlanders.
Johnson (24) became a Springbok in 2009 after an excellent Currie Cup for Free State, but struggled to maintain the same form in Super Rugby in 2010.
His form was also not great prior to this year and that is why he initially had to be satisfied with life as a substitute. However, he showed against the Bulls that he can achieve at a high level and has been in the starting line-up ever since.
But he was unable to replicate that form on tour and will now have to make an impact as a substitute.
Meanwhile, Cheetahs supporters will be happy to hear that scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius is back in the starting line-up.
He has had to warm the bench for the past few games due to his team’s rotation system, but is the Cheetahs’ most exciting player by some distance.
Philip Burger also replaces the injured Philip Snyman (ankle) on the wing. It will be Burger’s second game this year.
Lock Martin Muller makes way for Francois Uys and Kabamba Floors replaces the injured Heinrich Brüssow (ribs) on the flank.
Teams:
Cheetahs: 15.Riaan Viljoen, 14.Philip Burger, 13.Robert Ebersohn, 12.Corné Uys, 11.Wilmaure Louw, 10.Sias Ebersohn, 9.Sarel Pretorius, 8.Davon Raubenheimer, 7.Philip van der Walt, 6.Kabamba Floors, 5.Wilhelm Steenkamp (capt), 4.Francois Uys, 3.WP Nel, 2.Ryno Barnes, 1.Coenie Oosthuizen. Substitutes: 16.Skipper Badenhorst, 17.Lourens Adriaanse, 18.Izak van der Westhuizen, 19.Ashley Johnson, 20.Tewis de Bruyn, 21.Naas Olivier, 22.Barry Geel.
Blues: TBA
Bloemfontein - Springbok eighthman Ashley Johnson’s up-and-down Super Rugby career shows no sign of steadying.
Johnson has been struggling since last year to play consistently well in the tournament. Now he has been dropped to the substitute's bench for the match against the Blues.
It is one of five changes to the Cheetahs’ starting line-up that lost 8-41 against the Reds.
While Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské has said that the changes are due to the use of the squad system, Sport24 understands that the coaching team is not entirely satisfied with Johnson’s form on tour.
Griquas No 8 Davon Raubenheimer has been picked ahead of Johnson and will turn out for the team for first time on Saturday.
Raubenheimer made his debut for the Cheetahs in 2010, but is currently not even making the Griquas’ starting line-up in the Vodacom Cup.
Fortunately promising Griquas loose forward Leon Karemaker is set to join the side after the match against the Blues in New Zealand and he may well make his debut in the last tour game against the Highlanders.
Johnson (24) became a Springbok in 2009 after an excellent Currie Cup for Free State, but struggled to maintain the same form in Super Rugby in 2010.
His form was also not great prior to this year and that is why he initially had to be satisfied with life as a substitute. However, he showed against the Bulls that he can achieve at a high level and has been in the starting line-up ever since.
But he was unable to replicate that form on tour and will now have to make an impact as a substitute.
Meanwhile, Cheetahs supporters will be happy to hear that scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius is back in the starting line-up.
He has had to warm the bench for the past few games due to his team’s rotation system, but is the Cheetahs’ most exciting player by some distance.
Philip Burger also replaces the injured Philip Snyman (ankle) on the wing. It will be Burger’s second game this year.
Lock Martin Muller makes way for Francois Uys and Kabamba Floors replaces the injured Heinrich Brüssow (ribs) on the flank.
Teams:
Cheetahs: 15.Riaan Viljoen, 14.Philip Burger, 13.Robert Ebersohn, 12.Corné Uys, 11.Wilmaure Louw, 10.Sias Ebersohn, 9.Sarel Pretorius, 8.Davon Raubenheimer, 7.Philip van der Walt, 6.Kabamba Floors, 5.Wilhelm Steenkamp (capt), 4.Francois Uys, 3.WP Nel, 2.Ryno Barnes, 1.Coenie Oosthuizen. Substitutes: 16.Skipper Badenhorst, 17.Lourens Adriaanse, 18.Izak van der Westhuizen, 19.Ashley Johnson, 20.Tewis de Bruyn, 21.Naas Olivier, 22.Barry Geel.
Blues: TBA
