Cheetahs throw Boks straight into Currie Cup

Free State Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has included four returning Springboks in his team for their Currie Cup match against Western Province in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Eighthman Ashley Johnson, hooker Adriaan Strauss and prop Coenie Oosthuizen were named in the run-on side on Wednesday.

Heinrich Brussow, who recently finished rehabilitation for knee and hamstring injuries, was set to start from the bench.

The foursome were part of a group of 23 players released from South Africa’s Tri-Nations squad this week.

The Cheetahs would further be boosted, Drotske said, by the return of centre Robert Ebersohn in the place of Corne Uys who would move to the bench.

Johnson, Strauss and Oosthuizen would replace Boom Prinsloo, PW van Vuuren and Marcel van der Merwe respectively.

Cheetahs team:

Hennie Daniller, Riaan Smit, Robert Ebersohn, Andries Strauss, Ryno Benjamin, Sias Ebersohn, Tewis de Bruyn, Ashley Johnson, Lappies Labuschagne, Johan Wessels, Waltie Vermeulen, Francois Uys, WP Nel, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Coenie Oosthuizen.

Replacements: Hercu Liebenberg, Marcel van der Merwe, Izak van der Westhuizen, Heinrich Brussow, Piet van Zyl, Corne Uys, Philip Burger