Cheetahs go the French route
The Cheetahs have followed the French theory and picked a scrumhalf at flyhalf for their Currie Cup clash with Griquas on Saturday.
In the absence of regular pivots Johan Goosen and Sias Ebersohn the No.10 jersey falls on the shoulders of veteran scrumhalf Tewis de Bruyn, who has been playing second fiddle to Piet van Zyl this season.
Goosen (concussion) and Ebersohn (ankle) are both expected to be available for next week's semifinal, but were unable to recover in time to face Griquas.
Experienced centre Andries Strauss and utility back Philip Burger come back into the starting line-up, for a match that will help to determine where or not the Cheetahs have a home semifinal.
Scrumhalf Enrico Acker has been call up from the Free State Under-21 side to do duty on the bench, while youngsters Nico Scheepers and Werner Griesel provide backline cover.
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Philip Burger, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Cameron Jacobs, 10 Tewis de Bruyn, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Philip van der Walt, 6 Pieter Labuschagne, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Johan Wessels, 20 Enrico Acker, 21 Nico Scheepers, 22 Werner Griesel.
Date: Saturday, October 15
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius Jonker
Assistant referees: Sindile Mayende, DeGoede Haasbroek
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee