Rugby
Brüssow bids Cheetahs farewell─── 10:37 Fri, 22 May 2015
Springbok flank, Heinrich Brüssow will no longer be running out in the colours of the Toyota Cheetahs.
The influential loose forward has opted not to renew his contract with the franchise at the end of the season.
The popular 28-year-old who has fallen out of favour with the Springbok selectors will be playing his rugby at his Japanese club, Docomo Red Hurricanes for the next two seasons.
Brüssow has had limited game time this season after breaking his arm during the sides 18-17 loss to the Queensland Reds on 18 April.
Earlier coach Naka Drotské told OFM Sport that Brüssow is one of the best player he had ever worked with.
“I would have to go for a guy like Heinrich Brüssow, I think he is really special and he gives it 100% every time he is on the pitch.
“Another player I view in the same regard as Brüssow, is Sarel Pretorius. Just the way he trains and his normal outlook on life – it’s just amazing,” Drotské fondly said about the two players.
Pretorius himself will be leaving the side at the end of the Super Rugby as well with the nippy scrumhalf taking up an offer to player rugby at the Newport & Gwent Dragons in Wales.
The departure of the two will undoubtedly leave a massive hole in the side.
Tienie Burger who has been making the most of his opportunity at the side of the scrum has reportedly been given a three-year contract as a replacement for the Free State stalwart.
Tomorrow evening the Cheetahs are in action against the Lions in the derby of the Cats.
The two teams have met each other in 12 previous matches with side from Johannesburg leading the head-to-head battle 7/5.
Interestingly the average score between the two sides is 29-24 in favour of the Cheetahs.
The last time these two sides met was on 25 April with the Lions winning that match in Johannesburg 34-29.
Cheetahs - 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Boom Prinsloo, 6 Carel Greeff, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Maks van Dyk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Danie Minnie.
Replacements - 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 BG Uys, 18 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 19 Steven Sykes, 20 Henco Venter, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Coenie van Wyk, 23 Rayno Benjamin.
Lions - 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements - 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Robert Kruger, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Harold Vorster.
Morgan Piek / OFM News
