Head coach Frans Steyn will be without a crucial member of the Cheetahs backline for Sunday’s Currie Cup semi-final against the Pumas in Bloemfontein.
Fullback Clayton Blommetjies has been ruled out with an upper-leg injury from last week’s 52-26 defeat to Jimmy Stonehouse’s men in Nelspruit. Cohen Jasper will start at 15.
Elsewhere, Tebogo Nkosi and Marko Janse van Rensburg anchor a reshuffled front row alongside Frankie Dos Reis, while Victor Sekekete partners Carl Wegner in the engine room and Ramon Uys comes into the loose trio.
Jaco van der Walt takes over at flyhalf outside veteran scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, with Zander du Plessis handed a start in midfield. Simon Miller also earns a promotion into the starting pack.
CURRIE CUP: Will it be Frans’ cats versus champs?
Captain Neels Volschenk will lean on that freshened-up group as the Free Staters look to bounce back and book a Currie Cup final berth.
The Cheetahs are no strangers to the playoffs, having lifted the title in 2023 with a 25-17 win over the Pumas at Free State Stadium.
Stonehouse’s troops, though, reached consecutive finals in 2022 and 2023 and will arrive in Bloem full of confidence after their statement win to clinch a place in the last four.
CHEETAHS – 15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Michael Annies, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Zander du Plessis, 11 Prince Nkabinde, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Neels Volschenk (c), 7 Simon Miller, 6 Ramon Uys, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Frankie Dos Reis, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Tebogo Nkosi.
Bench: 16 Stefan Venter, 17 Tielman Niewoudt, 18 John-Kelly Okonkwo, 19 Arno van der Merwe, 20 Sisonke Vumazonke, 21 Daniel Maartens, 22 Litha Nkula, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.
Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images
The post Cheetahs lose playmaker for semi appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Head coach Frans Steyn will be without a crucial member of the Cheetahs backline for Sunday’s Currie Cup semi-final against the Pumas in Bloemfontein.
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