Cape Town - Springbok prop Ox Nche has been named as the Cheetahs’ PRO14 player of the 2017/18 season.
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The announcement was made at a function in Bloemfontein on Tuesday night where the Cheetahs also confirmed their squad for the upcoming PRO14 and Currie Cup competitions.
Nche, who made his Springbok debut against Wales in Washington DC this year, was a standout player for the Cheetahs in their debut season in the PRO14 where they reached the quarter-finals before losing to Welsh side Scarlets.
The men from Bloemfontein will pick their teams for the respective tournaments from the same squad.
The Cheetahs open their Currie Cup campaign at home against the Blue Bulls on August 17 and their first PRO14 match is away to Irish club Munster on September 1.
Toyota Cheetahs @PRO14Official player of the year is @OxNche #Congrats ??#GUINNESSPRO14 pic.twitter.com/a4fPoey26B
— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) August 14, 2018
Cheetahs' preliminary squad for Currie Cup and PRO14:
Props: Aranos Coetzee, Luan de Bruin, Erich de Jager, Gunther Janse van Vuuren, Johan Kotze, Charles Marais, Ox Nche, Boan Venter, Quintin Vorster
Hookers: Jacques du Toit, Joseph Dweba, Elandre Huggett, Reinach Venter, Marnus van der Merwe, Jannes Snyman
Locks: Justin Basson, Louis Conradie, JP du Preez, Sibabalo Qoma, Walt Steenkamp, Dennis Visser
Flanks: Stephan Malan, Daniel Maartens, Oupa Mohoje, Gerhard Olivier, Ntokozo Vidima, Jasper Wiese, Luigi van Jaarsveld
Eighthmen: Aidon Davis, Niell Jordaan, Junior Pokomela
Scrumhalves: Dian Badenhorst, Ruben de Haas, Tian Meyer, Zee Mkhabela, Rudy Paige, Ruan van Rensburg, Shaun Venter
Flyhalves: Tian Schoeman, Ryno Eksteen, Louis Fouche, Neill Stannard, Ernst Stapelberg
Wings: Carel-Jan Coetzee, Vuyani Maqina, Rabz Maxwane
Centres: Lloyd Greeff, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Tertius Kruger, Nico Lee, Ali Mgijima, William Small-Smith, Dries Swanepoel
Fullbacks: Adriaan Carelse, Malcolm Jaer