Why the Cheetahs will have their work cut out in the opening month of the Currie Cup

The Free State Cheetahs will have their work cut out in the opening month of the Currie Cup that kicks of this weekend.

The Cheetahs‚ who last won the competition in 2016‚ will play the four strongest teams in the first four weeks of the much compacted competition.

With only a single round of matches contested this season‚ every result carries increased weight and the Cheetahs will be required to hit the deck running.

In the first four weeks they will clash with the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein‚ Western Province in Cape Town‚ the Sharks back home and the Golden Lions in Johannesburg.

They have the added complication of having to do battle in the Pro14 in Europe but they have made some additions to their squad‚ including players who featured for them on loan last year.

Rudy Paige (scrumhalf‚ Bulls)‚ Adriaan Carelse (fullback‚ Boland)‚ Tian Schoeman (flyhalf‚ Bordeaux)‚ Louis Fouche (flyhalf‚ Kubota Spears)‚ Ruben de Haas (scrumhalf‚ USA)‚ Dries Swanepoel (centre‚ Bulls)‚ Benhard Janse van Rensburg (utility back‚ Sharks)‚ Walt Steenkamp (lock‚ Leopards)‚ JP du Preez (lock‚ Lions)‚ Aidon Davis (loose forward‚ Toulon)‚ Louis Conradie (lock‚ Boland) have officially joined the Cheetahs.

The preliminary squad that will be playing Currie Cup and Guinness Pro14 is:

Props:

Aranos Coetzee‚ Luan de Bruin‚ Erich de Jager‚ Gunther Janse van Vuuren‚ Johan Kotze‚ Charles Marais‚ Ox Nché‚ Boan Venter‚ Quintin Vorster

Hookers:

Jacques du Toit‚ Joseph Dweba‚ Elandre Huggett‚ Rienach Venter‚ Marnus van der Merwe‚ Jannes Snyman

Locks:

Justin Basson‚ Louis Conradie‚ JP du Preez‚ Sibabalo Qoma‚ Walt Steenkamp‚ Dennis Visser

Flanks:

Stephan Malan‚ Daniel Maartens‚ Oupa Mohoje‚ Gerhard Olivier‚ Ntokozo Vidima‚ Jasper Wiese‚ Luigi van Jaarsveld

Number 8’s:

Aidon Davis‚ Niell Jordaan‚ Junior Pokomela

Scrumhalves:

Dian Badenhorst‚ Ruben de Haas‚ Tian Meyer‚ Zee Mkhabela‚ Rudy Paige‚ Ruan van Rensburg‚ Shaun Venter

Flyhalves:

Tian Schoeman‚ Ryno Eksteen‚ Louis Fouche‚ Neill Stannard‚ Ernst Stapelberg

Wings:

Carel-Jan Coetzee‚ Vuyani Maqina‚ Rabz Maxwane‚

Centres:

Lloyd Greeff‚ Benhard Janse van Rensburg‚ Tertius Kruger‚ Nico Lee‚ Ali Mgijima‚ William Small-Smith‚ Dries Swanepoel

Fullbacks:

Adriaan Carelse‚ Malcolm Jaer