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Floors let loose on the Bulls?

Thursday 08th February 2007

Cheetahs coach Rassie Erasmus clearly subscribes to the theory that you don't change a winning team.

He named a virtually unchanged XV for the side's Super 14 Round Two encounter with the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

The only change is at loose forward, where Springbok Kabamba Floors has been named to start at number eight in place of Ryno van der Merwe.

It is, in fact, the same starting XV that was originally named to start against the Stormers in Round One last week. However, shortly before kick-off Erasmus changed the team - with Van der Merwe starting and Floors on the bench in the Cheetahs' 27-9 victory.

While the team announcement suggests Floors will start this week, only time will tell if there will be another late change.

There are a couple of changes on the bench, with the fit again Alwyn Hollenbach back as Erasmus departed from last week's strategy when he named five replacement forwards and only two backs.

This time it is the usual four-three split, with only one prop, CJ van der Linde named. But again the wily coach could add Wian du Preez or Os du Randt on the bench at the last minute. With Erasmus's penchant for switching props strategically this could well be the case.

Cheetahs: 15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Philip Burger, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Ronnie Cooke, 10 Herkie Kruger, 9 Falie Oelschig, 8 Kabamba Floors, 7 Juan Smith (c), 6 Henro Scholtz, 5 Corniel van Zyl, 4 Darren Nell, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adrian Strauss, 1 Ollie le Roux.
Replacements: 16 Richard Strauss, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Brian Vermaak, 19 Ryno van der Merwe, 20 Michael Claassens, 21 Alwyn Hollenbach, 22 Eddie Fredericks

Date: Saturday, 10 February
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Touch judges: Phillip Bosch (South Africa), Pro Legoete (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)