Marais to start at 12 for Cheetahs

Editor

Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith has made four changes to his starting line-up for Saturday’s clash with the Stormers in Cape Town.

The most interesting selection comes in the back-line where Niel Marais and Nico Lee swap places with Marais starting at inside centre and Lee relegated to the bench.

Sergeal Petersen will make his return after a knee injury, replacing JW Jonker who stepped in for him shorlty before last weekend’s loss to the Sharks in Bloemfontein.

In the forwards, Charles Marais and Ox Nche swap places with Marais starting on loosehead prop and Nche dropping down to the replacements bench.

In the only other change up front, Armandt Koster will replace Justin Basson at lock.

Amongst the replacements, newly signed Luther Obi could make his Super Rugby debut if he runs onto the field. Obi comes into the matchday squad as a replacement for Ryno Benjamin.

Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter (c), 12 Niel Marais, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Charles Marais
Replacements: 16 Elandré Huggett, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Niell Jordaan, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Nico Lee, 23 Luther Obi

Date: Saturday, April 1
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 15:05 local (13:05 GMT)
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Quintin Immelman (South Africa), Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)