Breaking boundaries as Cheetahs gear up for historic sold-out clash

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs head coach Hawies Fourie made four changes as his side gear up for their historic match in Amsterdam.

The Round Three Challenge Cup encounter against Section Paloise will mark the first time the Cheetahs will play in the Netherlands.

The match at the NRCA Stadium is sold out and kicks off at 15:00 (SA time) on Sunday.

The Bloemfontein side was successful in the first two rounds when they beat Zebre 33-15 in Parma and the Sharks 32-29 in Bloemfontein.

Following Sunday's Round Three fixture, the Cheetahs will play against Oyonnax to round off their pool stage fixtures in January in France.

One of the EPCR’s conditions for the Cheetahs' participation as an invitee in the 2023/24 EPCR Challenge Cup was for the team to be based in Europe.

Coach Fourie made one change in the backline and three in the pack.

In the backline, Munier Hartzenberg replaces Daniel Kasende at wing, while all three changes in the pack are in the front row.

Aranos Coetzee, Louis van der Westhuizen and Schalk Ferreira replace Hencus van Wyk, Marnus van der Merwe and Cameron Dawson.

Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Schalk Ferreira

Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Sibabalo Qoma, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Ali Mgijim

Date: Sunday, January 14

Venue: NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam

Kick-off: 13.00 (13.00 GMT; 15.00 SA time, 14.00 French Time)

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)

Assistant referees: Jonny Perriam (Scotland) & Rob McDowell (Scotland)

TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)