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Rugby

Cheetahs change two for Blues

───   13:22 Wed, 25 Feb 2015

Cheetahs change two for Blues | News Article

The Toyota Cheetahs have made just two changes to their team to face the Blues on Friday evening in the Super Rugby.

Upfront Carl Wegner replaces the injured Springbok lock Lood de Jager for the match, after the latter was ruled out for a lengthy period due to an elbow injury.
 
The only change in the backline sees Springbok winger Cornal Hendricks come in for Clayton Blommetjies on the right wing.
 
Apart from Shimlas stalwart, Tienie Burger replacing Wegner on the bench and Johann Sadie also on reserve duty, the rest of the match-23 is unchanged.
 
Going into their first home match for the season after having notched a big win is important for the sides’ confidence.
 
Coach Naka Drotksé feels being able select the near same team which beat the Sharks 35-29 in Durban, is good for the sides’ continuity early in the season as well.
 
“I think it’s really important and also to reward the players who played well against the Sharks. We believe in continuity and the players earned their spot in the starting line-up,” Drotské said on his team selection.
 
“We won’t change that easily; if we win we’ll try and stick to the team,” he added.
 
An aspect of the game the Cheetahs really excelled in during their trip to Durban was playing the game for the full 80 minutes.
 
In the past the team has almost been stereotyped as a 60 minute team and it’s something they want to dispel.
 
Captain Francois Uys was happy with the way they played against the Sharks and feels playing for 80 minutes is more of a mental thing than a physical thing.
 
“We really need to lift our work rate every minute of the game.
 
“It’s something Charl ( Strydom, defence coach) speaks to us about.  A lot of times you can see when a guy is switched on, you can see it mostly in defence,” the lock said.
 
“I just believe that if you want to make the play-offs, you need to be an 80 minute team. You need to be a team that plays well and if you find dip, you need find a way to get out of it and maybe lit you game in other places,” Uys added.
 
Speaking about the team’ performance against the Sharks, Uys said they are going into the Blues match with a lot of confidence, despite last weeks’ bye.
 
“It’s definitely a massive confidence booster for us, it was the first time in 8-years we won our first game,” Uys said.
 
“We’re very much looking forward to it, last week was good, we came in on Thursday and Friday and tried to simulate the game with the training sessions, we’re very confident and we’re definitely going to give it out all this weekend.”
 
While the sides’ confidence is high, they are well aware of the fact that the Blues nearly came back against the Stormers all week with just 14 players on the park after Hayden trigs received a red card for punching Duane Vermeulen.
 
Friday evenings match at the Free State Stadium kicks-off at 19:10.
 
Toyota Cheetahs – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendrick, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Jean Cook, 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 Boom Prinsloo, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Willie du Plessis, 23 Johann Sadie.
 
Morgan Piek / OFM News 

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