Veteran playmakers Frans Steyn and Ruan Pienaar have been included in the Cheetahs’ matchday 23 to face Griquas in the opening clash of the 2023 Currie Cup on Friday.
Steyn will start at inside centre for the Free Staters in Kimberley, while fellow Springbok Pienaar is set to run out at scrumhalf against last season’s runners-up in rugby’s oldest competition.
Packing down in the second row, the versatile Victor Sekekete will captain the team at Griqua Park.
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“Griquas will obviously be the favourites at home,” said coach Hawies Fourie. “We are the underdogs, and it is up to us to perform better and get a good start on the log.
“The first three games are especially important to us to do well.”
“We focused on the right stuff this week. The players are switched on and focused, and I’m sure the same will happen when they run onto the field tomorrow.
“The first three Currie Cup games will help us prepare well for the EPCR round of 16, but our first priority is to get as many Currie Cup log points as possible to build a bit of a buffer before we face Toulon.”
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Cheetahs – 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Munier Hartzenberg, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (c), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Hencus van Wyk, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Subs: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Evardi Boshoff, 23 Cohen Jasper.
Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix