Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Cheetahs coach Franco Smith has made just one change to the team that will contest the Currie Cup final on Saturday against the Golden Lions.
After impressing in their semi-final victory over the Sharks last weekend, the Cheetahs will be slight favourites to win South Africa's premier domestic competition with home ground advantage set to play a vital role.
And Smith has opted to start Gerhard Olivier at flank with Abongile Nonkontwana dropping to the bench in the only change to the run on XV.
Charles Marais returns from injury will take his place on the substitute bench.
Cheetahs captain, Tian Meyer is promising that his team will give it all to win a trophy they last won three years ago.
“We didn’t come all this way just to compete in the final. It is going to be an 80 minute performance against the Lions,” said Meyer.
Saturday's match kicks off at 17:00.
Teams
Free State Cheetahs
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Tian Meyer (captain ), 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Junior Pokomela , 6 Gerhard Olivier , 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Sintu Manjesi, 3 Erich de Jager, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche
Substitutes: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Charl Marais, 18 Reinach Venter, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Abongile Nonkontwana, 22 Louis Fouche, 22 Darren Adonis
Golden Lions
15 Tyrone Green; 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Duncan Matthews, 11 Stean Pienaar; 10 Shaun Reynolds, 9 Ross Cronje (captain); 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 3 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Pieter Jansen, 1 Dylan Smith
Substitutes: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Len Massyn, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Jan-Louis la Grange, 23 Jamba Ulengo
Compiled by: Craig Taylor
