Cape Town - The Cheetahs have made 14 changes to the side that played the Lions last week for their pre-season clash with the Stormers in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
According to the Rugby365 website, fullback Hennie Daniller is the only survivor from the starting line-up which lost 33-17 to the Lions in Johannesburg, as coach Naka Drotské plays around with his options ahead of the Super Rugby competition.
Skipper Adriaan Strauss is back at hooker after being rested last week, while Riaan Smit and Sarel Pretorius start as the halfback combination, which will give the coach a chance to compare their performances with those of Francois Brummer and Piet van Zyl.
Springbok flank Juan Smith is also expected to make his long awaited return after two years on the sidelines due to an Achilles injury. He is likely to play off the bench for 15 minutes with the Cheetahs indicating earlier this week they will utilise more than 22 players in the game.
Centre Johann Sadie (hamstring) and No 8 Philip van der Walt (knee) are back from injury, while flank Lappies Labuschagné (ankle) and fullback Willie le Roux (groin) should make their comebacks from the bench.
The Cheetahs also face the Bulls in a final warm-up match next week, with their first Super Rugby game at home against the Sharks on Saturday, February 23.
Kick-off at the Free State Stadium is at 17:00 on Saturday, with the match to be televised live on SuperSport.
Teams:
Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Rayno Benjamin, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Phillip van der Walt, 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Johannes Prinsloo, 5 Doppies Vermeulen, 4 Rynhardt Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Substitutes: 16. Ryno Barnes, 17. Caylib Oosthuizen, 18. Lood de Jager, 19. Francois Uys, 20. Frans Viljoen, 21. Juan Smith, 22. Lappies Labuscahgne, 23. Piet van Zyl, 24. Elgar Watts, 25. Barry Geel, 26. Willie le Roux, 27. Hansie Graaff
Stormers:
15. Jaco Taute, 14. Gio Aplon, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Kurt Coleman, 9. Louis Schreuder, 8. Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7. Don Armand, 6. Nizaam Carr, 5. De Kock Steenkamp, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Martin Bezuidenhout, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16. Stephan Coetzee, 17. Pat Cilliers, 18. Ruan Botha, 19. Michael Rhodes, 20. Rayn Smid, 21. Dewaldt Duvenage, 22. Pat Howard, 23. Gerhard van den Heever, 24. Joe Pietersen
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
According to the Rugby365 website, fullback Hennie Daniller is the only survivor from the starting line-up which lost 33-17 to the Lions in Johannesburg, as coach Naka Drotské plays around with his options ahead of the Super Rugby competition.
Skipper Adriaan Strauss is back at hooker after being rested last week, while Riaan Smit and Sarel Pretorius start as the halfback combination, which will give the coach a chance to compare their performances with those of Francois Brummer and Piet van Zyl.
Springbok flank Juan Smith is also expected to make his long awaited return after two years on the sidelines due to an Achilles injury. He is likely to play off the bench for 15 minutes with the Cheetahs indicating earlier this week they will utilise more than 22 players in the game.
Centre Johann Sadie (hamstring) and No 8 Philip van der Walt (knee) are back from injury, while flank Lappies Labuschagné (ankle) and fullback Willie le Roux (groin) should make their comebacks from the bench.
The Cheetahs also face the Bulls in a final warm-up match next week, with their first Super Rugby game at home against the Sharks on Saturday, February 23.
Kick-off at the Free State Stadium is at 17:00 on Saturday, with the match to be televised live on SuperSport.
Teams:
Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Rayno Benjamin, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Phillip van der Walt, 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Johannes Prinsloo, 5 Doppies Vermeulen, 4 Rynhardt Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Substitutes: 16. Ryno Barnes, 17. Caylib Oosthuizen, 18. Lood de Jager, 19. Francois Uys, 20. Frans Viljoen, 21. Juan Smith, 22. Lappies Labuscahgne, 23. Piet van Zyl, 24. Elgar Watts, 25. Barry Geel, 26. Willie le Roux, 27. Hansie Graaff
Stormers:
15. Jaco Taute, 14. Gio Aplon, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Kurt Coleman, 9. Louis Schreuder, 8. Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7. Don Armand, 6. Nizaam Carr, 5. De Kock Steenkamp, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Martin Bezuidenhout, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16. Stephan Coetzee, 17. Pat Cilliers, 18. Ruan Botha, 19. Michael Rhodes, 20. Rayn Smid, 21. Dewaldt Duvenage, 22. Pat Howard, 23. Gerhard van den Heever, 24. Joe Pietersen
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe