Cheetahs v Hurricanes: Teams
The Cheetahs are well-placed to pick up a second win for the season when they play the struggling Hurricanes on Saturday.
Last Updated: 15/04/11 1:25pm
The Cheetahs are well-placed to pick up a second win for the season when they play the struggling Hurricanes, themselves on a five-match losing streak, on Saturday.
The Kiwis are without injured All Blacks Conrad Smith and Aaron Cruden, while Cory Jane is only set to join the squad following the birth of his third child.
Smith has been replaced by Jayden Hayward and Cruden by Beauden Barrett. Hayward made his debut for the Hurricanes in Round Four against the Chiefs and Barrett will make his debut if named in the playing 22.
The Cheetahs are returning home to Bloemfontein from a four-week road trip to Australia and New Zealand in which they won one and lost three.
The win, a 23-3 success against the Waratahs in Sydney, was their solitary victory of the Super Rugby competition in eight matches so far.
Losses over the past month away have been to the Reds (8-41), the Blues (22-29) and most recently to the Highlanders (21-24) in Dunedin.
Back at home for just the third time this season, the Cheetahs will be desperate for victory over the Hurricanes going into their bye round the following week.
Prior to their overseas tour, they had two narrow losses at home to the Bulls (23-25) and the Lions.
However, they will be buoyed by the fact that they beat the Hurricanes at the same ground last year (28-12).
Cheetahs: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Philip Burger, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Ashley Johnson, 6 Kabamba Floors, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp (c), 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Lourens Adriaanse, 18 Martin Muller, 19 Leon Karemaker, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Naas Olivier, 22 Corne Uys.
Hurricanes: 15 Andre Taylor, 14 Alapati Leiua, 13 Jayden Hayward, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 9 Tyson Keats, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Jack Lam, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Michael Bent, 2 Andrew Hore (c), 1 John Schwalger.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Neemia Tialata, 18 Jason Eaton, 19 Faifili Levave, 20 Chris Eaton, 21 Beauden Barrett, 22 Charlie Ngatai.
