Cheetahs v Reds: Teams
Cheetahs have been hit hard by injuries ahead of their Super 14 clash with the Reds at Vodacom Park.
Last Updated: 26/03/10 8:41pm
Cheetahs have been hit hard by injuries ahead of their Super 14 clash with the Reds at Vodacom Park.
Winger Jongi Nokwe was firced to pull out of the line-up on Thursday with a calf strain, while Lionel Mapoe, Frans Viljoen and Hennie Daniller are all unavailable.
That means Bjorn Basson and Danwel Demas will come in on the wings, with Riaan Viljoen returning at full-back and Ashley Johnson starting at No.8.
The Reds will be without Daniel Braid for the trip to the Cheetahs.
Braid has failed to fully recover from a medial ligament strain suffered against Western Force, so the flanker has been replaced in the starting XV by 19-year-old Jake Schatz.
"We've given him (Braid) every opportunity and he'd progressed very well," coach Ewen McKenzie said.
"We were very confident when we came away that he'd be right for this game. But he just didn't quite feel that it was 100 per cent good enough to play in such a big game so he's withdrawn."
McKenzie has also added Ezra Taylor and returning wing Rod Davies to the bench for the clash.
Cheetahs: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Danwell Demas, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Juan Smith (c), 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Nico Breedt, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Barend Pieterse, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Corné Uys, 22 Wilmaure Louw.
Reds: 15 Peter Hynes, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Digby Ioane, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Brando Va'aulu, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia (c), 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Jake Schatz, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Van Humphries, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Ben Daley.
Replacements: 16 Sean Hardman, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Adam Byrnes, 19 Ezra Taylor, 20 Ben Lucas, 21 Will Chambers, 22 Rod Davies.