The Cheetahs have made six changes to their starting XV for Saturday’s match against the Glasgow Warriors in Bloemfontein.
Coach Franco Smith has wielded the axe over his side as they go in search of a first win of the season.
Shaun Venter, who only recently took over the captaincy from the injured Oupa Mohoje, has been relegated to the bench, with Tian Meyer starting at scrumhalf and leading the team. In a positional switch, wings William Small-Smith and Rabz Maxwane trade places, with the former starting on the right and the latter on the left.
Props Aranos Coetzee and Charles Marais and hooker Joseph Dweba will start in an all-new front row, with Jacques du Toit and Ox Nche dropping to the reserves. Prop Luan de Bruin has been ruled out with an ankle injury.
Lock Justin Basson has pneumonia and is replaced by Walt Steenkamp. Smith has also been forced to tweak the loose trio after Jasper Wiese was ruled out with a shoulder knock. Junior Pokomela will start and Niell Jordaan has been called up from the Currie Cup squad to provide back-row cover.
Cheetahs – 15 Malcolm Jaer, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Nico Lee, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer (c), 8 Aidon Davis , 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 JP du Preez, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Charles Marais.
Subs: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Gunther van Rensburg, 19 Dennis Visser, 20 Niell Jordaan, 21 Marnus van der Merwe, 22 Shaun Venter, 23 Ryno Eksteen.
Photo: Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images
