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Rugby

Sykes named on Cheetahs bench

───   14:28 Tue, 03 Mar 2015

Sykes named on Cheetahs bench | News Article

It's been a perfect start for the Toyota Cheetahs in their 2015 Super Rugby campaign with two wins in their first two matches. However, a real test awaits the side this weekend when they tackle the Bulls in Bloemfontein.

The coaching staff made just one change to the run on team with Boom Prinsloo replacing he injured Willie Britz in the front.
 
While Britz will be out of action for the next two to three weeks, the side are bolstered with the return of lock Steven Sykes.
 
Sykes who has long been a servant of South African rugby adds a lot of physicality to the Cheetahs pack, and the timing of his return from injury couldn't have beeen better.
 
Coach Naka Drotské said he is happy to have a player of his ability in their ranks, and feels he is the right kind of player to face the physical Bulls. 
 
Captain Francois Uys said his chargers believe in themselves and are confident of making it three in a row.
 
"We said in the changerooms that we are going to be confident. To get two out of two at the start of in this competition is a great start.
 
We know we need to win our home games, it's non-negotiable. It's a goal we sent ourselves at the beginning of the season," the captain added.
 
Naka Drotské's chargers were the near wooden-spooners in the 2014 season, but history is history and the Cheetahs have made a remarkable turnaround, especially considering the amount of departures last year.
 
Blues coach, Sir John Kirwan last week said that the Cheetahs know their own game well and this led to their success in the first two matches.
 
"The difference between first and last in this competition is very little and this is what makes it such a fantastic competition.
 
They know their game and play it well, and when they play it well and take the errors out of it and play their wide football they are hard to stop. They've started well and will be pleased with that, and if they can pick-up a couple of wins in New Zealand I'm pretty sure they will be there towards the end," the All Blacks rugby great added.
 
Former Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss as well as Trevor Nyakane and Lappies Labuschangé will likely all be making their first return to their old stomping grounds on Saturday after leaving at the end of last season.
 
The trio could be of enormous value to the Bulls when they run out against the team the three players know all too well.
Saturday evening's match at the Free Stadium kicks off at 17:05.
 
Toyota Cheetahs – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jean Cook, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Francous Uys (Captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Danie Mienie.
 
Replacements – 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 BG Uys, 18 Maks van Dyk, 19 Tienie Burger, 20 Steven Sykes, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Willie du Plessis, 23 Johann Sadie.
 
Morgan Piek / OFM News 

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