Cheetahs start Marais in Currie Cup Semi-final

The Free State Cheetahs have named Niel Marais to start at flyhalf in their Currie Cup semi-final against the Golden Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

In other changes for the Cheetahs Torsten van Jaarsveld returns to the side after being away with Namibia on Rugby World Cup duty.

Van Jaarsveld comes into the side on the replacments bench which pushes Neil Rautenbach out of the team.

Maks van Dyk has been declared fit and comes in to replace Teunis Nieuwoudt on the bench.

Elsewhere Freddy Ngoza drops out to make space for AJ Coertzen on the bench.

Cheetahs

15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Rayno Benjamin, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Jacques du Toit,1 BG Uys.

Replacements: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Maks van Dyk, 18 Reniel Hugo, 19 Gerhard Olivier, 20 Ruan van Rensburg, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 AJ Coertzen