Changed Cheetahs adding beef to their bench
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie was forced to change his team ahead of their Currie Cup Round Three outing against the Lions in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
It is the Cheetahs' first home game in the second half of the season and a crunch match in the fifth-placed team.
The Bulls (32 points), Sharks (24) and Western Province (21) head the pack - followed by the Lions (20) and the Cheetahs (17).
In one of two backline changes, William Small-Smith will be staring on wing, in place of Rhyno Smith.
Rosko Specman has failed a late fitness test and Malcolm Jaer starts on the left wing.
Aidon Davis is included in the starting line-up, with Victor Sekekete dropping down to the replacement bench.
Jacques du Toit will be the starting hooker in place of Reinach Venter, who is heading abroad - with Marnus van der Merwe providing cover on the bench.
However, it is on the bench where the Cheetahs got some serious muscle back.
Reniel Hugo has recovered from injury and is also joined among the replacements by Dries Swanepoel.
Meanwhile, Jacobus van Vuuren, affectionately known as Beertjie, has reported for duty at the Cheetahs as cover in the much-depleted tighthead department.
A host of players remain unavailable for team selection due to injury - including Wilmar Arnoldi (cheekbone), Aranos Coetzee (ankle), Ruan Pienaar (knee), Craig Barry (knee), Charles Marais (neck), Junior Pokomela (wrist), Hencus van Wyk (hamstring) and Chris Smit (hamstring).
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Howard Mnisi, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Aidon Davis, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Carl Wegner (captain), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Boan Venter.
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Erich de Jager, 19 Reniel Hugo, 20 Victor Sekekete, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 Dries Swanepoel.
Date: Saturday, December 16
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 16.30 (14.30 GMT)
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs and Griffon Colby
TMO: Jaco Peyper