Already without the likes of Heinrich Brüssow, Willie le Roux and Coenie Oosthuizen, the Cheetahs will now also have to do without their first choice halfback pairing of Sarel Pretorius and Joe Pietersen, who’re both nursing shoulder injuries.
The duo were yesterday ruled out of Saturday’s Super Rugby clash with the Highlanders, denting the Cheetahs’ hopes of registering back-to-back wins after getting the better of the Stormers last time out.
Naka Drotske’s team are coming off a bye weekend, while the Highlanders will be desperate to pick up a victory in South Africa after coming unstuck against the Lions last weekend.
Taking up the No9 and No10 jerseys will be the Griquas pairing of Tian Meyer and Francois Brummer, the latter having had just 34 minutes playing time from off the bench for the Cheetahs this season. Drotske, though, is confident the men from Kimberley will stand up to the challenge awaiting them.
“They are both experienced players and in Francois Brummer’s case he’s been in our squad for the last three-four years,” Drotske told the media in Bloemfontein yesterday. “This is an opportunity for him to show he can play at this level. He certainly has all the talent to do that.”
The outgoing Cheetahs boss, who will be replaced by Varsity Cup-winning coach Franco Smith following the completion of Super Rugby this year, added about Meyer: “Tian has played really well every time he has come onto the field and even in the game when he started for us.
“It’s the same with Shuan Venter and Coenie van Wyk, who’re on the bench for us this week. They’ve both been playing good rugby in the Vodacom Cup.”
Meyer and Brummer will be up against the highly rated and hugely influential Aaron Smith and Lima Sopoaga, while Drotske has stuck with the same midfield combination that did so well against the Stormers just under two weeks ago.
Michael van der Spuy and Francois Venter will have to keep the likes of Malakai Fekitoa in check if the home team are to register a fifth win this year.
“I’m really happy with them and they played really well against the Stormers,” Drotske said of Van der Spuy and Venter. “I think they will be up for it. Every time you face a New Zealand side it is a challenge, but I’ve got a lot of confidence that they’ll be up for it.”
In other changes to the Cheetahs team, Danie Mienie replaces Caylib Oosthuizen at prop, while on the bench Raymond Rhule returns to the squad for the first time in weeks following his recovery from injury. The match on Saturday kicks off at 7.10pm.
Cheetahs
Clayton Blommetjies, Ryno Benjamin, Francois Venter, Michael van der Spuy, Sergeal Petersen, Francois Brummer, Tian Meyer, Willie Britz, Boom Prinsloo, Tienie Burger, Francois Uys (capt), Carl Wegner, Maks van Dyk, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Danie Mienie. Replacements: Stephan Coetzee, BG Uys, Ewald van der Westhuizen, Steven Sykes, Carel Greeff, Shaun Venter, Coenie van Wyk, Raymond Rhule - The Star