Danger for Chiefs as big Cat lurks on bench

By CHRIS RATTUE

One of the major dangers for the Chiefs will be lurking on the Cats' interchange bench for Sunday morning's Super 12 match in Cape Town.

Former Springbok captain Andre Vos will return from a lengthy layoff, after shoulder surgery, for the match at Free State Stadium, Cats coach Frans Ludeke has confirmed.

The Chiefs will have an unchanged line-up, but the Cats have made five changes to the starting team. Vos is back in the squad, but there were the usual South African shenanigans involving another bench selection.

Ludeke had wanted to have Springbok sevens captain Paul Treu as a reserve, but Treu wanted to concentrate on sevens.

Ludeke asked two other players, who were also unavailable, before turning to Springbok three-quarter Kaya Malotana.

The Cats are in need of inspiration from somewhere.

After an opening-day win over the Bulls they have crashed to away defeats to the Brumbies, Highlanders, Waratahs and Hurricanes.

The margins of victory revealed a Cats side that looked as if they had slipped to the horrible lower levels of their country's Super 12 standards, after being semifinalists in the past two seasons.

No 8 Vos is a character in the mould of the Chiefs captain, Deon Muir, and Muir's impact was there for all to see in the win over the Highlanders last week.

Vos was South Africa's Super 12 player of the year last season, but was replaced by Bobby Skinstad as Springbok captain and this year stood down from international consideration.

The Cats' changes include at halfback, where Grant Bartle will get his first start ahead of Deon de Kock, and the centres, where sevens player Jorrie Muller comes in.

Chiefs coach Kevin Greene has kept his winning combination, although lock Mark Weedon is in doubt because of a back injury.

If Weedon starts, Chresten Davis could keep Royce Willis out of the 22, on the grounds of his versatility.

Meanwhile, a crowd as low as 10,000 is being predicted for the 40,000-capacity Free State Stadium, which will also host the Cats' next game against the Blues.

The Bloemfontein area has no representatives in the Cats lineup.

The Laurie Mains-coached Cats crushed the Chiefs 50-3 at Bloemfontein two years ago.

Chiefs: Bruce Reihana, Roger Randle, Keith Lowen, Mark Ranby, Karl TeNana, Glen Jackson, Danny Lee; Deon Muir (c), Marty Holah, Jonno Gibbes, Keith Robinson, Mark Weedon/Royce Willis, Deacon Manu, Keven Mealamu, David Briggs. Res: Nick Collins, David Hill, Rhys Duggan; Scott Couch, Willis/Weedon/Chresten Davis, Michael Collins, Guy Coleman.

Cats: Conrad Jantjes, John Daniels, Jorrie Muller, Danie van Schalkwyk, Dean Hall, Andre Pretorius, Grant Bartle; Russel Winter, Wickus Van Heerden, Piet Krause, Willem Stoltz, Jannes Labuschagne (c), Willie Meyer, Delarey du Preez, Heinrich Kok. Res: Kaya Malotana, Louis Koen, Deon de Kock; Andre Vos, Lodewyk Hattingh, Lawrence Sephaka, Andre van Niekerk.