The Free State Cheetahs will lock horns with the Sharks in Durban tomorrow without one of their key attacking threats in the 2023 Currie Cup.

Leading try scorer Munier Hartzenberg has been sidelined with a suspected season-ending knee injury. Hartzenberg, who has notched up an impressive six tries in just 10 rounds of the competition, is one of the tournament’s top scorers.

Hawies Fourie has made several changes for the Kings Park clash, with hooker Marnus van der Merwe swapping places with Louis van der Westhuizen in the starting XV.

Lock Rynier Bernardo and blindside flanker Friedle Olivier return to their regular positions, adding stability to the line-up. Notably, George Lourens takes on the flyhalf role, while Reinhardt Fortuin will be absent due to his wedding.

Cheetahs forwards coach Izak van der Westhuizen stressed the importance of matching the Sharks’ strength in the scrum and maul, while No eight George Cronje, who earlier this week was unveiled as one of the Durbanites’ new signings for next season, emphasised the team’s aspiration to play against and defeat the best.

Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Brits, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 George Cronje, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (c), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Hencus van Wyk, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Schalk Ferreira.

Subs: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Nqobisizwe Mxoli, 18 Dolph Botha, 19 Sibabalo Qoma, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Siya Masuku, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Evardi Boshoff.