Cheetahs change five

Cheetahs change five

4 Jul 2012

Barry Geel will start at No 12 while Justin Downey is preferred at No 8 for what should be a bruising clash against the Stormers.

Downey replaces Ashley Johnson at the back of the scrum, with the Springbok moving to the bench. Coach Naka Drotské has opted for WP Nel at tighthead and favoured Nico Scheepers and Cameron Jacobs on the wings.

Lock Andries Ferreira is struggling with a shoulder injury and will face a late fitness test on Thursday. If he fails to recover, George Earle will start in Saturday’s match.

Cheetahs – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Cameron Jacobs, 10 Riaan Smit, 9 Pieter van Zyl, 8 Justin Downey, 7 Lappies Labuschagné, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Andries Ferreira/George Earle, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Subs: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Marcel van der Merwe, 18 George Earle/Waltie Vermeulen, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Snyman.


42 Comments

  • 1.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 07:45 am

    Uhm Cheetahs? Do you guys want to lose? Dragons!

  • 2.galileo, roundness, union, coach...: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 08:13 am

    dont see them winning

  • 3.Gumboots: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 08:22 am

    Has Strauss been suspended for the hair pulling incident?

  • 4.RL: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 08:34 am

    So no Johnson. Has he left Bloem already, did they throw him a farewell party?

    I wonder.

    Oh wait there he is on the bench!

  • 5.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 08:37 am

    Is Barry Geel not the dude who tamed The SBW in Bloemfontein last year? He tackled for his fecking life that day……..and succeeded. What a legend!

    @Gumboots(Gumboots)-3: No, I think those sanctions are reserved for anyone living south of the Hex River Valley. Even funnier, was the lack of comment from all of the ‘Elstadt is filthy’ sel groepie.

  • 6.RL: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 08:41 am

    Where is my mate Transformer. I have more stat lessons for him today, about Willie le Roux and why he should be reserve winger in the Bok squad.

  • 7.Gumboots: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 08:44 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-5:

    Yes it was really strange! I mean if you want to be taken seriously then at leastbe consistent.

  • 8.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:00 am

    Cheetahs by 15+

  • 9.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:04 am

    @RL(RL)-6: I am a big fan of that guy. One of my favourite new players.

  • 10.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:31 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-5:

    Robert Ebersohn won’t miss any tackles on Saturday with the calming influence of Barry Geel on his inside.

    (And yes, it was indeed Barry Geel who neutralised Sonny Bill back in May last year in Bloemfontein, eventually forcing Williams to limp off with a knee injury at halftime.)

  • 11.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:34 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-5:

    From Sport24 in May last year:

    “Bloemfontein – A finely planned strategy and the advice of former Springbok Brendan Venter helped the Cheetahs to shut down All Black centre Sonny Bill Williams on Saturday.

    The home side put the giant centre under pressure from the word go through centres Barry Geel and Robert Ebersohn, as well as No 8 Ashley Johnson in their 33-20 Vodacom Super Rugby victory.

    Williams did not emerge for the second half due to a knee injury, but not before the Cheetahs showed the Springboks how the professional boxer can be neutralised at the 2011 World Cup.

    Venter wrote about the Williams-factor in his column for Sport24 last week and Cheetahs assistant coach Hawies Fourie took it on board.

    Among the former Saracens coach’s observations were that Williams is not a traditional New Zealand inside centre and that he probably lacks pace. Venter also believes that Williams’s normal passing game is not good and that he will have less of an impact if his opponents exploit his weaknesses.

    “Brendan wrote that the outside centre or player outside Sonny Bill Williams is actually the danger man. We definitely learned something from that,” said Fourie.

    “Naka (Drotské, Cheetahs head coach) and Michael (Horak, defence coach) played with and under Brendan. You know he can be trusted, especially on the subject of defence.”

    Fourie also revealed the Cheetahs’ special plan for Williams.

    “Michael instituted a plan whereby Ashley would come out at the lineouts and rush in on Sonny Bill from the outside. He did not hit him hard every time, but the Crusaders had to change their plan. It definitely disrupted them,” he said.

    “As far as the centres were concerned, we constantly nailed the guy next to Sonny Bill. If Sonny Bill was Barry Geel’s man on defence, the other players trusted him.””

  • 12.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:35 am

    @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-10: Geel has a calming influence on his 13′s? Or is that just something you have decided :)

    He was huge in that game though (in fact the entire Cheetahs back line was unreal on defence that day – you put that all down to Barry Geel and his calming influence?)

  • 13.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:35 am

    @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-11: :) Classico…..

  • 14.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:36 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-12:

    Ask Transformation and willievz, it’s a common observation that Barry Geel is a calming influence. :lol:

  • 15.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:38 am

    Of course, willievz likes Barry Geel since Geel is a Griqua ;-)

  • 16.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:38 am

    @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-14: Indeed he has…..even on me….Look!………Barry Geel…………aaaaaaaaaaaah much better already….. ;)

  • 17.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:39 am

    George Earle – former WP lock.

  • 18.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:39 am

    @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-14: Hahahahahahahaha, I will ask them :) Well I hope Barry Geel is rattled as all hell come Saturday, otherwise we might be in some sh y te. Would hate the scoreboard to read: Calming influence 21 – Stormers 10.

  • 19.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:42 am

    @KWAGGA ROBERTSE(KWAGGA ROBERTSE)-16:

    Ek moet sê, ek bewonder hard, plat-op-die-aarde spelers soos Barry Geel.

    Hy het twee maande terug 30 geword, hy het seker nog so paar jaar rugby in hom.

    Ek is verbaas hy het nog nooit oorsee gaan speel nie.

  • 20.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:47 am

    @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-19: Dis nogal opvallend dat daar baie sulke ouens deur die jare deur spesifiek FS rugby gekom het om dan net weer deur groter unies opgeraap te word (in die geval is die Sharks seker die skuldigste as by FS rugby kom) en as jy weer sien het die outjie n wilde haarstyl vol highlights n stywe denim met wit skoene aan iewers lang die kus.

    Geel is vir my nog die tipiese harde werker wat nie noodwendig die vermoe van die ouens om of teen hom het nie maar hy maak op daarvoor met pure hart en n groot stel eiers. Lekker om te sien.

  • 21.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:51 am

    @KWAGGA ROBERTSE(KWAGGA ROBERTSE)-20:

    Ek stem saam met jou.

    Juan Smith is darem vir jou ‘n lojale kryger. SA Rugby gaan ‘n groot gees verloor as hy aftree.

  • 22.seamus: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 09:56 am

    Go the Cheetahs. Do your mortal ememies, The Bulls, a massive favour

  • 23.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 10:05 am

    @RL(RL)-6: geez dude talk about blowing your own horn… :lol:

    what about willie le roux do you think you’ve discovered besides the fact that he’s up there in linebreaks, playmaker passes and misses a lot of tackles?

    you’re like a kid with a new toy since you’ve ‘discovered’ these stats :mrgreen:

  • 24.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 10:18 am

    @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-21: Ongelukkig lyk dit of die vet antie besig is om keel skoon te maak op sy loopbaan. Hy het vrek baie bereik in sy tyd op die veld maar n ou voel altyd daar was nog baie om te gee en te doen. Ware sportman en gentlemen. Hoop rerig daar is nog iets in die pype oor om ons mee te vermaak.

  • 25.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 10:21 am

    @KWAGGA ROBERTSE(KWAGGA ROBERTSE)-24:

    ‘n Ware dienaar van Vrystaat sport, inderdaad.

  • 26.ufo: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 11:08 am

    Barry is the Geel Deal…

    wondered what happened to him…

    good to see him playing for the cheetahs… the centre battle just got a whole lot more interesting with ebersohn/geel up against devilliers/dejongh…

  • 27.ufo: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 11:12 am

    does anyone know if nico scheepers is the son of, or related to, eben scheepers…?

    one of the most existing backlines ever was andre joubert, chris badenhorst, eben scheepers, helgaard muller, steven ????, can’t remember the flyhalf though…

  • 28.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 11:29 am

    @ufo(ufo)-26:

    Hopefully Barry G had his 15 minutes of fame last year and will be back to be a journeyman again on Saturday :)

  • 29.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 11:57 am

    @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-14: :D Corne Uys is the “calming influence”

    Barry Geel is the “SBW Killer” 17 tackles attempted, missed 0

  • 30.ufo: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 12:07 pm

    @Robzim(Robzim)-28:

    hehehe

    here’s hoping…!! :wink:

  • 31.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 12:12 pm

    @Transformation(Transformation)-29: Hahaha. I apparently have to ask you all about Barry Geel’s influence. Those true stats? I just recall the dude tackling as if his life depended on it – it was one of the most memorable performances in last year’s tournie, was Barry Geel’s :)

  • 32.willievz: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 12:13 pm

    BARRY GEEL!!!

    :lol:

    17-0.

    Stormers in BIG trouble now :lol:

  • 33.ufo: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 12:15 pm

    were they all on William Williams Junior…?

  • 34.thesaint: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 14:41 pm

    Oh wow, Barry Geel, De Villiers must be trembling in his boots…not, there is a reason why Geel never made it to a big union, or overseas, or anywhere else…but I’d rather not upset the Geel fan club…

  • 35.Superbru: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 15:51 pm

    @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-8: With predictions like those no wonder you get the wooden spoon :lol:

  • 36.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 17:18 pm

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-31: look, the story around here went like, “butch was the calming influence that made elton jantjies tear the brumbies a new one last year” now i came up and disputed the assertion as ridiculous as claiming that sias ebersohn was having a stellar season last year because of the “calming influence of corne uys” and a legend was born :razz:

  • 37.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 17:19 pm

    @ufo(ufo)-33: no, sbw cried out at half-time after one of geel’s stinging tackles :D

  • 38.scar: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 20:23 pm

    @ufo(ufo)-27: UFO, I don’t recall a flyhalf called Steven. But how was this for a backline in 1990?
    André Joubert; Lourens Prinsloo, Helgard Muller, Eben Scheepers, Chris Badenhorst; Henry Honiball, Stompie Fourie

  • 39.scar: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 20:29 pm

    @ufo(ufo)-27: It does seem that he is related to Eben Scheepers. Found this interesting article regarding him:

    http://www.volksblad.com/Kontrei/Nuus/Eben-het-saam-met-bestes-gespeel-20100616

  • 40.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 20:33 pm

    @Transformation(Transformation)-36: :) Classic. But what kuk about Butch’s influence on Elton that game last year. Elton was sublime all on his lonesome.

  • 41.scar: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2012, 20:42 pm

    @scar(scar)-39: meant NOT related … anyhow, not direct offspring…

  • 42.ufo: Reply to this comment
    5 Jul 2012, 08:15 am

    @scar(scar)-38:

    Thanks for all your info, Scar…!! Very interesting… So, not Eben’s son…

    Yeah, I was picturing Lourens Prinsloo but kept thinking of Stephen Brinks name… I started listing them in order for the names I could remember then tried the names I couldn’t…

    Of course the flyhalf was Lem..! So used to seeing him in Sharks colors in the second part of his career that I just couldn’t jog my memory of him in Freestate colors…

    That’s the back line I was thinking of… think them and the WP backline of the mid 80s were two of the best exponents of exciting running rugby…

    Great memories..! Shot bud…

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