We look ahead to our Guinness PRO14 clash with Toyota Cheetah on Saturday... and pick out three players who will be on the prowl at Rodney Parade...
Kick off:
Saturday 29th February, 5.15pm, Rodney Parade, Newport
Tickets:
Gates open at 3.45pm on Saturday afternoon, with the Ticket Office open from noon – rugby is back on Parade so make sure you come and join us! Click HERE to buy online.
TV:
Live on Premier Sports 2, Super Sport 5, S4C, DAZN, pro14.tv
Form:
The Dragons and the Toyota Cheetahs both had their chances on the road, losing to Glasgow Warriors and Ulster respectively ahead of this meeting at Rodney Parade. That loss for the Cheetahs saw them drop out of the top three in Conference A, and leaves them with some catching up to do, albeit with a run of home fixtures to come. They have won both of their previous meetings with the Dragons, including their sole trip to Rodney Parade. But under Dean Ryan, the Dragons have won their last four at the ground in all competitions.
Team News:
Cheetahs: 1 Boan Venter; 2 Wilmar Arnoldi; 3 Luan de Bruin; 4 Sintu Manjezi; 5 Walt Steenkamp; 6 Gerhard Olivier; 7 Junior Pokomela; 8 Aidon Davis; 9 Ruan Pienaar (Captain); 10 Tian Schoeman; 11 Craig Barry; 12 Benhard Janse van Rensburg; 13 William Small-Smith; 14 Rhyno Smith; 15 Clayton Blommetjies
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba; 17 Charles Marais; 18 Aranos Coetzee; 19 JP du Preez; 20 Sias Koen; 21 Tian Meyer; 22 Louis Fouche; 23 Chris Smit.
Three To Watch:
Ruan Pienaar
Ruan Pienaar is a Springbok veteran with 88 Test caps to his name. The scrumhalf was born-and-bred in Bloemfontein and is the son of the Free State Rugby legend, Gysie Pienaar. After leaving the Sharks in 2010, Pienaar, joined Ulster in Ireland, where he became a legend of the club. In 141 games for the side from Belfast he scored 877 points. In 2017 he left Ulster to play for Montpellier in France. On 25 July 2009, Pienaar played flyhalf for the Springboks in their 28-19 win over the All Blacks in Bloemfontein at the then Vodacom Park. Pienaar hand and outstanding Test on the day and scored one of the Springboks two tries and also converted a penalty.
Joseph Dweba
Joseph Dweba moved to Bloemfontein in 2014 and remained in the thoughts of the national selectors. He was called up into the South Africa U20 squad for the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship in New Zealand finishing as runners-up in the competition. The 2018/19 season was Dweba’s breakthrough season in the Cheetahs jersey. An injury to Jacques du Toit saw Dweba being promoted to the starting side, and he has not looked back since. He has won the man of the match award on three occasions. He missed the tour to Ireland and Wales because of an injury. Dweba is strongly tipped to become a Springbok in the not too distant future.
Rhyno Smith
The Sharks’ outside back, Rhyno Smith, has become a key player for the Cheetahs and is currently the top try scorer in the Guinness PRO14. Smith, who was a star player for the North West University Pukke in the Varsity Cup and for the Leopards in the Currie Cup first division, initially played for the Toyota Cheetahs on a loan deal before signing a three-year deal.
Watch the Dragons when they welcome their South African side Toyota Cheetahs to Rodney Parade on Saturday (kick-off 5:15pm). Click HERE to buy your tickets and join us for more top Guinness PRO14 action.
