Oupa laid low by knee injury

Cape Town - The Cheetahs have a received a blow with the news that their Springbok loose forward Oupa Mohoje will be out of action for an extended period.

Mohoje, 25, injured his knee during a recent training camp with the Springbok Sevens squad in Stellenbosch and will be sidelined for three months.

Mohoje told Netwerk24 that Blitzboks coach Neil Powell wanted to pick him for the SARU Sevens Academy team for the Dubai International tournament.

The Dubai tournament, which takes place on December 4 and 5, will run concurrently with the opening round of the new World Rugby Sevens Series.

The injury means that Mohoje, who boasts eight Test caps, will miss the Cheetahs' preparations for next year’s Super Rugby competition.

The Cheetahs start their 2016 Super Rugby campaign with a home game against the new team from Argentina on Friday, February 26.

Cheetahs squad:

Justin Basson, Rayno Benjamin, Clayton Blommetjies, Tienie Burger, Willie Britz, Johan Coetzee, Luan de Bruin, Lood de Jager, Maphutha Dolo, Jacques du Toit, Joseph Dweba, Sias Ebersohn, Joubert Engelbrecht, Reinhardt Erwee, Elandre Huggett, Reniel Hugo, Niell Jordaan, Armandt Koster, Tertius Kruger, Nico Lee, Hilton Lobberts, Niel Marais, Steven Meiring, Tian Meyer, Danie Mienie, Zee Mkhabela, Oupa Mohoje, Uzair Cassiem, Teunis Nieuwoudt, Gerhard Olivier, Sergeal Petersen, Boom Prinsloo, Niel Rautenbach, Raymond Rhule, Willem Serfontein, Paul Schoeman, William Small-Smith, JP Smith, BG Uys, Francois Uys, Michael van der Spuy, Maks van Dyk, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Ruan van Rensburg, Coenie van Wyk, Francois Venter, Henco Venter, Shaun Venter, Dennis Visser, Carl Wegner, Fred Zeilinga

Cheetahs’ 2016 Super Rugby fixtures:

February 26:  Cheetahs v Argentina

March 5:  Cheetahs v Stormers

March 12:  Japan v Cheetahs

March 19:  Lions v Cheetahs

March 26:  Cheetahs v Brumbies

April 2: Bulls v Cheetahs

April 5: Cheetahs v Japan

April 22:  Rebels v Cheetahs

April 30:  Reds v Cheetahs

May 7:  Waratahs v Cheetahs

May 14:  Cheetahs v Kings

May 28:  Stormers v Cheetahs

July 2:  Cheetahs v Force

July 9:  Sharks v Cheetahs

July 16:  Cheetahs v Bulls