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Cheetahs sweat over Coenie

Cape Town - The Cheetahs are sweating over the availability of Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen ahead of their do-or-die Super Rugby clash against the Blues in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

According to the Volksblad website, the knock Oosthuizen took to his knee in last Saturday's 28-3 loss to the Stormers at Newlands is worse than initially thought.

Backline coach Hawies Fourie said Oosthuizen will in all likelihood not train this week and be given until Friday to prove his fitness.

But Oosthuizen's injury is not the only worry for the men from Bloemfontein.

Fullback Hennie Daniller, who pulled out with a knee injury just before the Stormers game, underwent a scan on Monday and his participation is in doubt, while flyhalf Elgar Watts (hamstring) is also a worry.

According to Fourie, scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius played wing against the Stormers because of the unavailability of Rayno Benjamin (Blitzbokke) and Rocco Jansen (groin). Benjamin will be back this weekend and should start at wing if Daniller fails to recover, which would see Willie le Roux again do duty at fullback.

The Cheetahs can, however, take consolation from the fact that their opponents will also have to make due with a new half-back pairing, after the Blues' Piri Weepu (ribs) and Chris Noakes (upper leg) were sent back to New Zealand.

Hooker Keven Mealamu (calf) and No 8 Peter Saili (haematoma) are also injured, but should be ready by the weekend.

The clash at the Free State Stadium kicks off at 14:50 on Saturday.




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