Cheetahs include De Jager in Super Rugby training squad

Bloemfontein based Super Rugby franchise the Cheetahs have named Springbok star Lood de Jager in their pre-season training squad that will start preparations for the new season next week.

De Jager was part of the Springbok squad that were eliminated by eventual champions New Zealand so the second rower will get little rest after playing against Argentina in the Bronze World Cup play off.

The Cheetahs will begin their pre-season training on Monday, 9 November in Bloemfontein and have invited a large squad that will be ammended as the compeition nears.

The players who have been invited are in alphabetical order:

Justin Basson, Ryno Benjamin, Clayton Blommetjies, Tienie Burger, Willie Britz, Johan Coetzee, Luan de Bruin, Lood de Jager, Maphutha Dolo, Jacques du Toit, Joseph Dweba, Sias Ebersohn, Joubert Engelbrecht, Reinhardt Erwee, Elandre Huggett, Reniel Hugo, Niell Jordaan, Armandt Koster, Tertius Kruger, Nico Lee, Hilton Lobberts, Niel Marias, Steven Meiring, Tian Meyer, Danie Mienie, Zee Mkhabela, Oupa Mohoje, Uzair Cassiem, Teunis Nieuwoudt, Gerhard Olivier, Sergeal Petersen, Boom Prinsloo, Niel Rautenbach, Raymond Rhule, Willem Serfontein, Paul Schoeman, William Small-Smith, JP Smith, BG Uys, Francois Uys, Michael van der Spuy, Maks van Dyk, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Ruan van Rensburg, Coenie van Wyk, Francois Venter, Henco Venter, Shaun Venter, Dennis Visser, Carl Wegner and Fred Zeilinga.

The Cheetahs will be facing the team from Argentina in their first Super Rugby encounter for 2016 on Friday, 26 February at 19:00 in Bloemfontein.

2016 Super Rugby Fixtures:

Fri, 26 Feb Cheetahs vs Argentina 19:00 Bloemfontein
Sat, 5 Mar Cheetahs vs Stormers 17:05 Bloemfontein
Sat, 12 Mar Japan vs Cheetahs 18:50 Singapore
Sat, 19 Mar Lions vs Cheetahs 17:05 Johannesburg
Sat, 26 Mar Cheetahs vs Brumbies 15:00 Bloemfontein
Sat, 2 Apr Bulls vs Cheetahs 19:10 Pretoria
Fri, 15 Apr Cheetahs vs Japan 19:00 Bloemfontein
Fri, 22 Apr Rebels vs Cheetahs 19:40 Melbourne
Sat, 30 Apr Reds vs Cheetahs 19:40 Brisbane
Sat, 7 May Waratahs vs Cheetahs 19:40 Sydney
Sat, 14 May Cheetahs vs Kings 17:05 Bloemfontein
Sat, 28 May Stormers vs Cheetahs 17:00 Cape Town
Sat, 2 Jul Cheetahs vs Force 15:00 Bloemfontein
Sat, 9 Jul Sharks vs Cheetahs 19:10 Durban
Sat, 16 Jul Cheetahs vs Bulls 19:10 Bloemfontein