Former WP and Bulls centre Johann Sadie will represent his third province in as many years when he starts at outside centre for the Cheetahs this weekend. The central team face the Sharks on Saturday afternoon in their first fixture of the 2013 Super Rugby season.
Lodewyk de Jager, starting at lock, is the other debutant in a team that features Johan Goosen at flyhalf and Willie le Roux in the slightly unusual position of right wing. Up front, Trevor Nyakane and Lourens Adriaanse have been handed the propping duties, with Bok Coenie Oosthuizen to be introduced off the bench.
Former Boland pivot Elgar Watts is on the bench and will earn his first Super Rugby cap if he gets on, while former stalwart (and Waratahs player) Sarel Pretorius is benched in favour of Piet van Zyl at scrumhalf.
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Frans Viljoen, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Waltie Vermeulen, 19 Boom Prinsloo, 20 Sarel Pretorius, 21 Elgar Watts, 22 Ryno Benjamin.
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This is a good backline. I am not too worried about the forwards but with Goosen in the backs they can do some real damage.
@Viking (Comment 1) : Goosen hasn’t been tackled by Steyn yet
@robdylan (Comment 2) : Lets hope Lambie can set Steyn up on some well aimed running lines… 😯
Couple of dangerous runners in that back line.
@Bokhoring (Comment 4) : A lot more in ours.
Goosen vs Lambie although its not exactly an even match up considering Lambie’s forwards should get one up on Goosen’s.
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 6) : People seem to forget that when lambie started everyone said the same thing and he has now matured into a brilliant flyhalf, goosen still needs to mature as well. He will settle down and lose a bit of flair that he has i feel
@The Sharks Sharkie (Comment 6) : Agreed, take nothing away from Goosen but if all goes to plan he should be on the back foot all afternoon, no Bok pack to give him a good platform here.
This game is going to be much closer than many people may think.
That cheetahs pack isn’t as bad as we are making it out to be, Trevor Nyakane is a good scrummager.
Away in Bloem ,knowing the Cheetahs mindset and the heavy underdog tag they are labelled with-Sharks by 5
yes i also give the game to the Sharks at 4/5 points
Sjees. Giftige backline there.
@King Shark (Comment 11) :
The Cheetah’s have a dangerous looking backline but between Sadie, le Roux and to a lesser extent Ebersohn they aren’t great defenders.
@Original Pierre (Comment 8) : So you concede the Cheetahs have a bok quality pack, because last time I checked he was playing for the Cheetahs mostly when he made such an impact!
@robdylan (Comment 2) : And Steyn hasn’t been tackled by Viljoen yet… lets be honest, Steyn hasn’t been much more than a big boot anyway. Zero creativity, just another big oke that thinks he can run over everybody. Cheetahs have played against lots of those before!
@KingCheetah (Comment 14) : Ai. the tjietas always have lots to chirp at the start of the season and when they score an isolated upset victory, but your boys always limp home to their mommies when we reach the business end of the season.
Ha ha, a classic case of the pot calling the kettle coloured? Come on! Get real. Have you heard the Cheetahs chirping about it being their year (fianlly) to win the trophy la la la, blah blah blah.
Your schoolboy analogy is impressive. Now where have I heard such insults before? Oh yes, when I was in primary school 35 years ago!
Unfortunately nobody remembers the business end of the competition, we only recall who won it, and it’s never been the Sharks!
@KingCheetah (Comment 16) : Awfull lot of chirping coming from your side and guess what…..we’re still in the pre-season.
So Oom, ek dink jou Landbou Weekblad wag vir jou 😈
Landbou Weekblad, cutting edge indeed! Did you think that up all by yourself? I might just tke you up on that, the content should be more mature anyway.
@KingCheetah (Comment 16) : No because they are too busy moaning about how many players they have lost,how little money their union have and the amount of injuries they have
@BR (Comment 19) : Ha ha, so without checking matey, who came second in 2011? Hmmmm thoughts so, byeeeeeeee
@KingCheetah (Comment 20) :
You make some valid points.. None of which I can disagree with..
It’s going to be a tough match, and will be won late in the game.
Let’s hope we can keep the injuries to a minimum so that both teams are competitive for the entire season..
Good luck for Saturday Sharkies. Lets hope it’s a clean entertaining match, with no injuries as a result. Cheetahs greetings!
@KingCheetah (Comment 20) : Who came second in 2010, 2009 and 2007?
Without checking I know the answer, probably because we had at least one South African team involved. 🙄
@KingCheetah (Comment 20) : sorry but I just don’tget it why you go back in history, its a new year both teams look a bit defferent from then, like I said before I am as nervous as hell for this game, so good luck for tomorrow may the bedt team win.