The Toyota Cheetahs are facing Barcelona Diables in the second Toyota Challenge match on Wednesday, 17 November in Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein. 

“Before the start of the Toyota Challenge, we decided that we will give the whole squad a run.  So, we selected this team more than a week ago to play against the Diables.”  Said, Coach Hawies Fourie. 

“After Wednesday match we’ll make a decision about the Sharks- and Baia Mare games. For me it is just worth it to give everyone game time, to see where you stand with all the players and to get them match fit and ready for the Currie Cup.

“We are disappointed in our performance against Western Province and we want to lift the standards and play decent rugby.  It is an opportunity for the guys playing tomorrow to put up their hands and to show what they can do.”

“I believe that we prepped well for a team that we don’t necessarily know, but we’ll go out there and express ourselves the best way we know how and play our brand of rugby.  We’ll be focusing on ourselves.”  Said Oupa Mohoje, Captain of the Toyota Cheetahs. 

The action kicks off at 17:30 with a live broadcast on SuperSport 211.

Coach Hawies Fourie announced his team for the encounter.   

15. Lesley Botha

14. Mosolwa Mafuma

13. Evardi Boshoff

12. Howard Mnisi

11. Enver Brandt

10. Brandon Thomson

9.  Zinedine Booysen

8. Oupa Mohoje (C)

7. Jeandre Labuschagne

6. Lohan Potgieter

5. Reinier Viljoen

4. Sergio Moreira

3. Hanro Jacobs

2. Janus Venter

1. Schalk Ferreira

16. Wilmar Arnoldi

17. Cameron Dawson

18. Beertjie van Vuuren

19. Thembelani Bholi

20. Gideon van der Merwe

21. Tian Meyer

22. Siya Masuku

23. Cohen Jasper  

The referee for the match is Cwengile Jadezweni. He will be assisted by Griffon Colby and DJ Hefer.   The TMO is Rasta Rasevengi.

Players not eligible for selection:  Due to injury - Mox Moxoli (wrist), Andisa Ntsila (neck), Jeandre Rudolph (knee), George Cronje (knee), Duncan Saal (bicep), Malcolm Jaer (ankle), Branden de Kock (knee), Craig Barry (hamstring), Marnè Coetzee (calf), Clayton Blommetjies (ankle), Chris Smit (quad) and Rosko Specman (knee).

Other rugby obligations – Aranos Coetzee and Louis van der Westhuizen (playing for Namibia), Frans Steyn (Springboks), Ruan Pienaar (on loan to Sharks), Junior Pokomela (on loan to Stormers).

ACTION PACKED MATCH DAY FOR THE FANS

The Toyota Challenge is a new kind of rugby tournament: one where every victory earns a prize of R250 000 and where players will do everything in their power to win cash bonuses for explosive play.

Players making the most tackles, line breaks and turnovers on the ground win cash prizes.   

“The Player of the match” will win R10 000 for every match while the supporter who posts the most social media posts during the match with hashtag #ToyotaLegendSupport will win R10 000 and be crowned “Supporter of the match”!

Regulations, as prescribed by the Department of Cooperative Governance and SA Rugby’s “Guidelines for the return of spectators to sport events”, limit spectator numbers in the stadium to 2 000. 

Gates open at 16:30 and spectators are urged to come early and to note that the following has to be presented to gain entrance to the Toyota Stadium on a match day:

• A valid rugby ticket - Tickets are on sale at R100 each at the ticket office in the Toyota Stadium. Please remember to purchase your ticket before match day.
• A vaccination certificate (the one with the QR code) - All spectators must be fully vaccinated. 
• ID document or driver’s licence
• Wear a mask at all times