Uys back for Free State Cheetahs

Editor

Free State Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith has made several changes to his side for their Currie Cup clash with the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday.

On the back of a recent 73-31 hiding against the Golden Lions, the fourth-placed Cheetahs will be desperate for a response at Mbombela Stadium this week.

Back into the side come Francois Uys, Ryno Benjamin, Raymond Rhule and Shaun Venter who start at lock, centre, left wing and scrum-half respectively.

Therefore Freddy Ngoza, Tertius Kruger, Maphutha Dolo and Zee Mkabela all subsequently drop out of Smith's starting XV for a key game in terms of morale.

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ryno Benjamin, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 De Wet Kruger, 7 Teboho Mohoje, 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 Francois Uys (c), 4 Reniel Hugo, 3 Luan De Bruin, 2 Neil Rautenbach, 1 Teunis Nieuwoudt.
Replacements: 16 Chase Morison, 17 Burrie Gildenhuys Uys, 18 Willem Serfontein, 19 Freddy Ngoza, 20 Ruan Van Rensburg, 21 Niel Marais, 22 Adriaan van der Berg Coertzen.

Date: Friday, October 2
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-off: 13.15 local (11.15 GMT)
Referee: Jaco van Heerden
Assistant referees: Jaco Pretorius, Pieter Maritz
Television match official: Willie Vos