Cheetahs name team for Kings derby

Cape Town - Cheetahs coach Rory Duncan has announced his team to take on the Southern Kings in a PRO14 encounter in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Duncan made a few changes to the team that lost 27-21 away to Italian club Benetton last weekend.

In the backline, Clayton Blommetjies returns to fullback, with Craig Barry starting at left wing.

Nico Lee starts at outside centre, replacing skipper Francois Venter, who sustained a neck injury against Benneton.

Niel Marais will partner Lee in midfield.

Up front, props Ox Nche and Tom Botha are included in the starting line-up, with Charles Marais and Johan Coetzee providing cover off the bench.

Lock Justin Basson also replaces Carl Wegner in the second row.

Loose forward Henco Venter is back on the bench after a long time on the sidelines due to a concussion.

Hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld will lead the Cheetahs in Venter’s absence.

It is the first time the two local teams will meet in the PRO14. The last time they faced each other was last July when they made their final Super Rugby appearances.

The Cheetahs have won all four previous fixtures between the two.

“Dealing with pressure, we’ve been taking this season week by week and not looking ahead, but this is the week we’ve been waiting for - the first South African derby. It is going to be real tough and physical game.  We expect the Kings to come out guns blazing, but so will we,” Van Jaarsveld said.  

Kick-off for Saturday's clash is scheduled for 17:00.

Teams:

Southern Kings

15 Yaw Penxe, 14 Michael Makase, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Martin du Toit, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Oliver Zono, 9 Rowan Gouws, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Tienie Burger, 6 Eital Bredenkamp, 5 Bobby de Wee, 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Stephan Coetzee, 1 Schalk Ferreira (captain)

Substitutes: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Johan Smith, 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 19 Lindokuhle Welemu, 20 Freddy Ngoza, 21 Rudi van Rooyen, 22 Ntabeni Dukisa, 23 Harlon Klaasen

Cheetahs

15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Craig Barry, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Niel Marais, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Justin Basson, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld (captain), 1 Ox Nche

Substitutes: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Johan Coetzee, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Junior Pokomela, 21 Henco Venter, 22 Zee Mkhabela, 23 AJ Coertzen