Toulon may be without Cheslin Kolbe for this weekend’s EPCR Challenge Cup Playoff match but the Toyota Cheetahs will be without their own kingpin in Frans Steyn.
Steyn’s knee injury has kept him from travelling with the Cheetahs to France on Tuesday and the team is likely to rely heavily on veterans Ruan Pienaar and Robert Ebersohn in the backline to guide them against the French giants.
The enormity of the task awaiting Hawie Fourie’s side will not be lost on them, as Toulon beat Lyon in the French Top14 this weekend to move into the top six.
And while the Cheetahs will be backing their own gamebreakers, they will also never have experienced facing a French side like Toulon in their own back yard.
The Cheetahs unbeaten form in the Currie Cup will give them hope and their recent 31-7 win over the Blue Bulls last weekend has given them some momentum going into the big game this weekend.
But the task remains massive, especially for a side with little regular international competition.
Even without Kolbe, Toulon still have some massive internationals in their side including Wales captain Dan Biggar and French Six Nations star Charles Ollivon and will pose a massive threat to the Cheetahs.
Cheetahs squad:
Rynier Bernardo, Schalk Ferreira, Munier Hartzenberg, Marko Janse van Rensburg, Cohen Jasper, Daniel Kasende, Rewan Kruger, Daniel Maartens, Tapiwa Mafura, Jeandrè Rudolph, Victor Sekekete, Alulutho Tshakweni, Marnus van der Merwe, Gideon van der Merwe, Hencus van Wyk, Mzwanele Zito, Louis van der Westhuizen, Robert Ebersohn, Reinhardt Fortuin, Ruan Pienaar, David Brits, Teboho Mohoje, Nqobisizwe Mxoli, Sibabalo Qoma, Conraad van Vuuren.