Cape Town - Cheetahs prop Coenie Oosthuizen is eager to play a full game of rugby after warming the Springbok bench in recent weeks.
Despite regularly coming off the bench for the Springboks, the 24-year-old is relishing the prospect of playing a full 80 minutes when the Cheetahs host the Blue Bulls in a Currie Cup clash on Saturday.
According to the Volksblad website, Oosthuzien has played a total of 126 minutes - an average of 21 minutes per game - in South Africa's last six Tests.
But his last full match was on July 21 when the Cheetah lost to the Brumbies in the Super Rugby playoffs.
Oosthuizen said he is really looking forward to play on Saturday. "It's a huge privilege to come here and play for 80 minutes and to get the opportunity to start (a match) again."
Along with Bok team-mates Adriaan Strauass and Trevor Nyakane, Oosthuizen will form part of a formidable Cheetahs front row.
The Cheetahs are currently third of the log and look likely to stay in the top four.
The Lions are one point behind them in fourth spot but the men from Johannesburg host the struggling Griquas on Saturday and are expected to claim maximum points.
Therefore - should the Lions do just that - the only way the Cheetahs could fall out of the top four is if the Bulls beat them with a bonus point and at the same time prevent Free State from getting any points themselves.
The Bulls are currently five points behind the Cheetahs in fifth spot.
Kick-off in Bloemfontein is at 17:05 on Saturday.
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16 AJ Le Roux, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Teboho Mohoje, 19 Freddy Ngoza,20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Piet Lindeque, 22 Willie du Plessis
Blue Bulls:
15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross (captain), 5 David Bullbring, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Jean Cook, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Francois Venter, 22 Clayton Blommetjies
Despite regularly coming off the bench for the Springboks, the 24-year-old is relishing the prospect of playing a full 80 minutes when the Cheetahs host the Blue Bulls in a Currie Cup clash on Saturday.
According to the Volksblad website, Oosthuzien has played a total of 126 minutes - an average of 21 minutes per game - in South Africa's last six Tests.
But his last full match was on July 21 when the Cheetah lost to the Brumbies in the Super Rugby playoffs.
Oosthuizen said he is really looking forward to play on Saturday. "It's a huge privilege to come here and play for 80 minutes and to get the opportunity to start (a match) again."
Along with Bok team-mates Adriaan Strauass and Trevor Nyakane, Oosthuizen will form part of a formidable Cheetahs front row.
The Cheetahs are currently third of the log and look likely to stay in the top four.
The Lions are one point behind them in fourth spot but the men from Johannesburg host the struggling Griquas on Saturday and are expected to claim maximum points.
Therefore - should the Lions do just that - the only way the Cheetahs could fall out of the top four is if the Bulls beat them with a bonus point and at the same time prevent Free State from getting any points themselves.
The Bulls are currently five points behind the Cheetahs in fifth spot.
Kick-off in Bloemfontein is at 17:05 on Saturday.
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16 AJ Le Roux, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Teboho Mohoje, 19 Freddy Ngoza,20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Piet Lindeque, 22 Willie du Plessis
Blue Bulls:
15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross (captain), 5 David Bullbring, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Jean Cook, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Francois Venter, 22 Clayton Blommetjies