Benjamin and van Vuuren in for Cheetahs; Sharks waiting on Michalak and Joubert – Currie Cup
South African Rugby Union’s (SARU) provincial side, Free State Cheetahs, have received a major boost for their upcoming encounter against the defending champions of the Currie Cup, Natal Sharks. The return of the Cheetahs star winger Rayno Benjamin has bolstered
their preparations for Saturday, July 30, encounter as the Sharks will take on the Cheetahs at King’s Park Durban.
Earlier, Benjamin missed out from the Cheetahs second game of the 2011 Currie Cup against the Bulls. Blue Bulls defeated the Cheetahs 33 – 30, and the Cheetah slumped from the top position to fourth place in the 2011 Currie Cup table.
Benjamin scored a try for the Cheetahs in their bonus point victory match over the Leopards, during round one of this year’s Currie Cup.
In addition to Benjamin, Cheetahs match preparations are strengthened by the inclusion of their hooker PW van Vuuren. Vuuren has played in both games for the Cheetahs so far in the season. However, in their last weekend encounter against the Bulls, Vuuren
sustained a hamstring injury, which cast doubt over his availability for the coming Saturday clash against the Sharks.
Defending champion Sharks, on the other hand, are still waiting on the availability of their star international fly half, Frederic Michalak. The player sustained an injury in their last weekend encounter against the Pumas.
Michalak unavailability is a major blow for Sharks, as he has carried the burden of the scoring in absence of Sharks key seniors players. He has been instrumental in Sharks two wins in the tournament so far.
Additionally, Sharks are still uncertain about the fitness of their centre Marius Joubert. Sharks head coach, John Plumtree, will make the decision regarding their availability later in the week.
However, Plumtree has included Heimar Williams and Gouws Prinsloo as cover for the injured duo of Michalak and Joubert.
Both teams have announced their squads for Saturday’s fixture as follows:
Free State Cheetahs
Starting XV: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Smit, 13 C. Uys, 12 Andries Strauss (captain), 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3
WP Nel, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Philip Snyman, 22 Philip Burger.
The Sharks
Starting XV: 15. Louis Ludik, 14. Mark Richards, 13. Stefan Terblanche / Marius Joubert, 12. Meyer Bosman,11. Sibusiso Sithole, 10. Jacques-Louis Potgieter / Frederic Michalak, 9. Ross Cronje,8. Keegan Daniel (Captain), 7. Marcell Coetzee,
6. Jacques Botes, 5. Ross Skeate, 4. Anton Bresler, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Craig Burden, 1. Dale Chadwick.
Replacements: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Eugene van Staden, 18. Jan Andre Marais, 19. Francois Kleinhans, 20. Jacobus Reinach, 21. Heimar Williams / Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22. Gouws Prinsloo / Sibusiso Sithole.
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