Cape Town - Free State Cheetahs coach Franco Smith has announced his changes to his team for Saturday's Currie Cup clash against the Sharks at Kings Park in Durban.
Clayton Blommetjies will be making his return to Currie Cup, replacing the injured Darren Adonis.
Carel-Jan Coetzee will be starting on wing and Louis Fouche will be replacing the injured Tian Schoeman.
Dian Badenhorst/Tapiwa Mafura will be providing cover on the bench.
Junior Pokomela is the No 6 flank with Abongile Nonkontwana on number seven, replacing the injured Marnus van der Merwe. JP du Preez and Charles Marais will be in the starting line-up with Walt Steenkamp and Ox Nche on reserve.
The following players are not eligible for team selection due to injury: Oupa Mohoje (knee), Aidon Davis (broken leg), Justin Basson (knee), Ali Mgijima (Achilles), Luan de Bruin (neck), Malcolm Jaer (groin) and Daniel Maartens (ankle), William Small-Smith, Darron Adonis (hamstring),Tian Schoeman (calve), Marnus van der Merwe (foot) and Adriaan Carelse (hand). Ruben de Haas - Rugby World Cup - USA.
Kick-off is at 15:00.
Teams:
Sharks
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Jeremy Ward (co-captain), 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Tera Mtembu (co-captain), 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Mzamo Majola
Substitutes: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Gideon Koegelenberg, 20 Evan Roos, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Rhyno Smith
Free State Cheetahs
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Louis Fouche, 9 Tian Meyer (captain), 8 Henco Venter, 7 Abongile Nonkontwana, 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 JP du Preez, 4 Sitno Manjesi, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Charles Marais
Substitutes: 16. Jacques du Toit, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Reinach Venter, 19 Walt Steenkamp, 20 Gerhard Olivier, 21 Jasper Wiese, 22 Dian Badenhorst/Tapiwa Mafura, 22 Ruan Pienaar