Toyota Cheetahs team to face Connacht Rugby

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The Toyota Cheetahs will be playing their third Guinness PRO14 match in Ireland against Connacht on Saturday at Sportsground (capacity: 7 786) in Galway.

Kick-off is at 21:35 (SA time) and the match will be broadcasted live on SuperSport 1. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Connacht Rugby has won their last three matches in all competitions since their 8-16 loss in Ulster in round 6 of the Guinness PRO14. The Toyota Cheetahs have lost only one of their last five Guinness PRO14 matches: 26-29 at home to Glasgow on 6 October.

“We anticipate a tough game, Connacht has proven to be a team that has the ability to hold on to the ball and go through multiple phases. We need to be patient on defence and ensure our execution on defence and attack is clinical,” said Coach Rory Duncan.

Duncan announced his team for the encounter with the following changes from last week:

• Fred Zeilinga will be starting in his first Guinness PRO14 match at fullback, replacing Sergeal Petersen. Luther Obi will be replacing Raymond Rhule on right wing. Petersen and Rhule’s contracts with the Toyota Cheetahs ended in October. Both players joined the Stormers this week in Cape Town.

• A new centre pair, with Tertuis Kruger and Nico Lee, replacing Francois Venter (called up to Springbok squad) and William Small-Smith who sustained a shoulder injury against Zebre last weekend. Tertius Kruger will be making his Guinness PRO14 debut.

• Thigh head props, Johan Coetzee and Tom Botha will be switching places with Coetzee in the starting line-up.

• Carl Wegner and Rynier Bernardo will be switching places with Bernardo on the bench.

• Oupa Mohoje has been called up for Springbok duty. Junior Pokomela moves from flank to no. 8. Jasper Wiese will be making his Guinness PRO14 debut on no.7.

Reserves:

• Joseph Dweba is new to the bench. (Jaques du Toit returned home for his wedding on Saturday).

• Dennis Visser and Zee Mkhabela joined the team this week in Ireland and will be making their Guinness PRO14 debuts when they set foot to field.

• Ali Mgijima is new to the bench.

The following players are not eligible for team selection due to injury:

Elandré Huggett (knee), Neil Jordaan (ankle and knee), Steven Meiring (appendix), Gerhard Olivier (ankle), Ruan van Rensburg (knee), Niel Marais (shoulder), Justin Basson (hand) William Small-Smith (shoulder).

GUINNESS PRO14
Connacht vs Toyota Cheetahs
4 November 2017. Kick-off: 21:35 (SA Time)
Sportsground, Galway

Toyota Cheetahs

15 Fred Zeilinga
14 Luther Obi
13 Tertius Kruger
12 Nico Lee
11 Makazola Mapimpi
10 Ernst Stapelberg
9 Tian Meyer

1 Ox Nche
2 Torsten Van Jaarsveld ©
3 Johan Coetzee
4 Carl Wegner
5 Hugo, Reniel
6 Paul Schoeman
7 Jasper Wiese
8 Junior Pokomela

16 Joseph Dweba
17 Charles Marais
18 Tom Botha
19 Dennis Visser
20 Rynier Bernardo
21 Zee Mkhabela
22 Ali Mgijima
23 Shaun Venter

The referee for the match is Frank Murphy. He will be assisted by John Lacey and Kieran Barry. The TMO is Leo Colgan.