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Cape Town - Free State Cheetahs coach Franco Smith has named his team for their Currie Cup clash against the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
Smith has handed the captaincy to loose forward Oupa Mohoje, with regular captain Francois Uys demoted to the bench.
Mohoje, who recently re-joined the Cheetahs after not making the final Springbok Rugby World Cup squad, played off the bench in last week’s 24-17 loss to the Blue Bulls in Pretoria.
Mohoje will start in place of Henco Venter, while Reniel Hugo starts at lock with Uys on the bench.
Jacques du Toit is back in the starting team at hooker, with Elandre Huggett moving down to the bench.
Prop Teunis Nieuwoudt replaces the injured Caylib Oosthuizen on the bench, with the Shimlas player set to make his debut for the Free State Cheetahs if he gets game time.
Oosthuizen tore his knee ligaments against the Bulls last week and will be sidelined for the rest of the year.
Among the backs, Cornal Hendricks, another Springbok who failed to make the World Cup touring party, will also make his debut for Free State in the Currie Cup. He replaces Raymond Rhule at left wing, with the latter missing out due to a slight neck injury.
Friday's clash at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is scheduled for 19:10.
Teams:
EP Kings:
TBA
Free State Cheetahs:
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Rayno Benjamin, 11 Cornal Hendricks, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Oupa Mohoje (captain), 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 BG Uys
Substitutes: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Teunis Nieuwoudt, 18 Francois Uys, 19 Henco Venter, 20 Freddy Ngoza, 21 Ruan de Bruin, 22 Sias Ebersohn
