Vodacom Super Rugby
Ebersohn benched for Sharks
2012-05-16 13:25
Johannesburg - A stellar performance from Riaan
Smit against the Stormers has prompted Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské to
hand him the No 10 jersey.
The side will take on the Sharks in a local Super Rugby derby in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Ever
since Sias Ebersohn had to fill the shoes of injured Cheetahs playmaker
Johan Goosen, he has struggled to regain the form that branded him one
of the side's best players 2011.
"With Sias it is a confidence thing. It is something he needs to sort out for himself," Drotské said.
"Yes, he will be on the bench, but he can still make a huge impact as a replacement in the second half."
Ebersohn replaced Goosen after he injured his shoulder against the Highlanders.
Near
the end of the match, he missed possibly one of the easiest kicks at
goal, a kick that could have given his side a much-needed victory.
Drotské still backed Ebersohn as his first choice for last week's match against
the Force, and though he didn't do much wrong, he didn't
outshine anyone either.
Ebersohn, however, failed his next real
test against the Stormers last Saturday. His tactical kicking was
off-key, while his ability to convert penalties was also left wanting.
Drotské introduced Smit early in the second half and he sparked a fight back for
the Cheetahs which saw them missing out on victory by a mere two
points.
In Patrick Lambie, the Sharks will field a young, but
experienced flyhalf and Drotské would want his starting flyhalf to be at
his best.
Smit not only had a solid Vodacom Cup campaign, but
also impressed against the Stormers with his goal kicking and ability on
the attack.
"Riaan did very well when he came onto the field," Drotské said.
"It
will be good to give him a chance in the starting line-up. He hasn't
played a lot of Super Rugby thus far this season, but we know what he is
capable of.
"He showed against the Stormers that he is a good attacking player and that he has kept his goal kicking up to par."
Smit's
inclusion in the starting line up and Ebersohn's relegation is the only
change to the Cheetahs side that narrowly lost to the Stormers.
Teams: Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Cameron Jacobs, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 George Earle, 4 Izak van der Westhuizen, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman
Sharks:
TBA