The first Super Rugby match of Round 15 in South Africa is in Bloemfontein where the Cheetahs host the Western Force.
The Cheetahs and the Western Force have played each other 9 times in Super Rugby since 2006 when they both joined Super Rugby through the Super 14.
In those 9 Super Rugby matches the Cheetahs have won four matches and lost five. This gives them a record of winning 44% of their matches against the Force.
The Force won the first four matches between the two sides and out of the last five matches the Cheetahs have won four.
The teams have met four times in Bloemfontein and both teams have won two matches each. The average score when these teams meet in Bloemfontein is: Cheetahs 19 Force 16.
Cheetahs coach Franco Smith has named Raymond Rhule to win his 50th Super Rugby cap this weekend. Smith has made a couple of changes to his forward pack for this week and Ox Nche will be starting as loosehead prop, replacing Charles Marais.
Carl Wegner will be replacing the injured Lood de Jager as lock.
On the replacements bench there are some new faces Joseph Dweba (Super Rugby debut), Johan Coetzee, Reniel Hugo, Henco Venter, George Whitehead and William Small-Smith (returning to play after a injury) .
Luan de Bruin and Shaun Venter are the only players who remain on the bench from the previous match.
Neither of these teams are in contention for the play offs but the Force will be happy when this season is over as they have been taken over by the ARU and their coach Michael Foley has been released from his contract.
This Match will be shown on TV in NZ (Sky), Aus (Fox Sports), SA (SuperSport) and in the UK on Sky Sports 3.
Average score: Cheetahs 18 Force 19
Last five results
11 Apr 2015 Cheetahs v Force 24-15 Perth
10 May 2014 Cheetahs v Force 16-23 Bloemfontein
23 Mar 2013 Cheetahs v Force 19-10 Perth
05 May 2012 Cheetahs v Force 17-13 Bloemfontein
08 May 2010 Cheetahs v Force 29-14 Bloemfontein
Cheetahs overall record against the Force
Played 9 , Wins 4 , Losses 5, Draws 0
Match No.114: Cheetahs vs Force
Date : Saturday 2 July 2016
Venue : Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick Off local: 14.00
Referee: Kubo Shuhei (Japan)
Assistant Ref 1:AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
Assistant Ref 2: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
TMO : Willie Vos (South Africa)
Teams
Cheetahs
1. Ox Nche , 2. Torsten van Jaarsveld , 3. Maks van Dyk , 4. Carl Wegner , 5. Francois Uys (vc) , 6. Paul Schoeman , 7. Oupa Mohoje , 8. Uzair Cassiem , 9. Tian Meyer , 10. Fred Zeilinga , 11. Raymond Rhule , 12. Michael van der Spuy , 13. Francois Venter (C) , 14. Sergeal Petersen , 15. Clayton Blommetjies
Replacements: 16. Joseph Dweba , 17. Luan de Bruin , 18. Johan Coetzee , 19. Reniel Hugo , 20. Henco Venter , 21. Shaun Venter , 22. George Whitehead , 23. William Small-Smith ,
Western Force
1 Pek Cowan (C) , 2 Harry Scoble , 3 Tetera Faulkner , 4 Ross Haylett-Petty , 5 Adam Coleman , 6 Brynard Stander , 7 Chris Alcock , 8 Angus Cottrell , 9 Ian Prior , 10 Jono Lance , 11 Marcel Brache , 12 Kyle Godwin , 13 Solomoni (Junior) Rasolea , 14 Luke Morahan , 15 Dane Haylett-Petty
Replacements : 16 Anaru Rangi , 17 Francois van Wyk , 18 Guy Millar , 19 Rory Walton , 20 Richard Hardwick , 21 Ryan Louwrens , 22 Peter Grant , 23 Semisi Masirewa.
