Cheetahs beef up their front row

The Cheetahs have signed prop Ross Geldenhuys from the Lions as a replacement for WP Nel in this year's Currie Cup.

Nel has signed a deal to join Scottish side Edinburgh and will leave the Free State side at the end of the 2012 Super Rugby campaign, leaving the Cheetahs a bit thin in the front row department.

Geldenhuys played for Boland in this year's Vodacom Cup, after the Lions sent him out on loan, and the Johannesburg side have now released him from his contract to join the Cheetahs.

According to Volksblad the 29-year-old joins the Cheetahs on a short-term contract for the Currie Cup, with the option of an extension if he impresses during his time in Bloemfontein.

Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské still has props Coenie Oosthuizen, Trevor Nyakane and Marcel van der Merwe at his disposal, but Oosthuizen could be away with the Springboks based on his form this season.

Geldenhuys is more adept at tighthead, but is also comfortable on the loosehead side of the scrum and could be the ideal man on the bench with Van der Merwe and Nyakane likely to be the first-choice props during the Currie Cup.