The Cheetahs will lose another stalwart at the end of the Super Rugby season, with fullback Hennie Daniller announcing his departure to Italian club Zebre.

This comes on the back of the news that flyhalf Riaan Smit and lock Andries Ferreira will exit the Bloemfontein franchise to join Oyonnax and Zebre respectively, while uncertainty hovers over the future of both star flyhalf Johan Goosen and prop Trevor Nyakane.

It is believed that Goosen is set to sign a lucrative deal with either Racing Métro or Toulon in France, while Nyakane, whose contract with the club ends later this year, has been linked to the Bulls.

The exodus doesn't bode well for the Cheetahs, and will dent their aspirations of regaining the 2013 Super Rugby form which propelled them to the play-offs. They've endured an indifferent campaign this year and without players such as Daniller, who's been an integral part of the set-up, it will be difficult to overturn that slump.

The 30-year-old, who has been released early by the union to accommodate his move, will leave a massive gap in an ever-shrinking squad.

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