Dry spell starts for Cheetahs

The Dry spell starts when the Cheetahs take on the Sharks in a Round Eight match in Durban on Saturday.

The Currie Cup is completely revamped, as the Cheetahs have a team that competes in the newly launched Pro14 - starting against Ulster at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast on Friday.

A week later the Cheetahs (A-team) face Munster in Cork.

On the same dates, the Free State Cheetahs (B-team) will play in the Sharks (in Durban) and Western Province (in Cape Town in Currie Cup matches.

"The Free State looks forward to the challenge for all players, staff and coaches - as well as our supporters," Harold Verster, Managing Director of the Free State Cheetahs, said.

"It is necessary to point out that the overlapping of the Currie Cup and Pro14 is an extraordinary occurrence because it was implemented at short notice.

"It is however, foreseeable, that there will not be overlapping in future."

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Reinhardt Erwee, 14 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 13 Jacobus Jonker, 12 Stephan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Ryno Eksteen, 9 Juan-Philip Smith, 8 Japer Wiese, 7 Chris Dry (captain), 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Nicolaas Immelman, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Gert Kotze.

Relacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Andrew Kuhn, 18 Sibabalo Qoma, 19 Ntokoza Vidima, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Dian Badenhorst, 22 Marco Mason.

Date: Saturday, September 2

Venue: Kings Park, Durban

Kick-off: 16.15 (14.15 GMT)

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

Assistant referees: Ben Crouse, Archie Sehlako

TMO: Marius Jonker