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Rebels vs Cheetahs Super Rugby Previews

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The second Super Rugby match in Round 9 on Friday is in Melbourne where the Rebels host the Cheetahs at AAMI Stadium.
The Cheetahs will have a short turnaround for this match and will have had to travel but they go into the match brimming with confidence as they beat the Sunwolves 92-17 last week.
The Rebels on the other hand were well beaten at 13-38 at home by the Hurricanes last week. Many had the Rebels to win that match as the Rebels are playing some of their best rugby and they had home advantage. Last week they were clearly second best though.
The Rebels have played the Cheetahs four times in Super Rugby since 2011 when the Melbourne side joined Super Rugby. In those four matches the Rebels have won 1 match and lost three. That means that the Rebels have only won 25% of their matches against the Cheetahs.
In Melbourne the teams have played each other twice and the Rebels have won one and lost one. The average score when the Rebels play the Cheetahs in Melbourne is : Rebels 30 Cheetahs 24.
In those two matches the Cheetahs won the first clash and the second was won by the Rebels.
For this match the Cheetahs have retained the starting team that beat the Sunwolves but made one change to the replacements bench. Luan de Bruin comes for Johan Coetzee on the bench.
The Rebels have brought Colby Fainga’a back from injury for the first time since the Rebels’ opening round victory over the Western Force in Perth eight weeks ago.
Head Coach Tony McGahan has made four changes to the run-on side that lost to the Hurricanes last weekend with Toby Smith, returning from a concussion suffered against the Waratahs, and Jonah Placid named at full back for the first time since the Highlanders in Round Five.
Reece Hodge will make his first start at Outside Centre after all four of his Super Rugby appearances have come at full back while Sefa Naivalu, who got through his first full game since returning from a broken leg, and Cam Crawford swap wings.
The Rebels are the second best Australian team according to the standings. This is the first time that they have reached the half way stage and been second in Australian Rugby which shows they are an improved side overall this year. The Cheetahs hammered the Sunwolves but prior to that match they had lost three matches in a row. Their only victories this season have both been against the Sunwolves who have yet to win a match.
This Match will be shown on TV in NZ, Aus, SA and in the UK on Sky Sports 1.
Average score: Rebels 24 Cheetahs 30
Last four results
28 Feb 2014 Rebels v Cheetahs 35-14 Melbourne
30 Mar 2013 Rebels v Cheetahs 16-34 Bloemfontein
18 Mar 2012 Rebels v Cheetahs 26-33 Melbourne
21 May 2011 Rebels v Cheetahs 21-41 Bloemfontein
Rebels overall record against the Cheetahs
Played 4 , Wins 1 , Losses 3 , Draws 0
Match No.64: Rebels v Cheetahs
Date : Friday 22 April 2016
Venue : AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick Off local: 19:45 local
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Ref 1:James Leckie
Assistant Ref 2:Angus Gardner
TMO : George Ayoub
Teams
Rebels
1. Toby Smith , 2. James Hanson , 3. Laurie Weeks , 4. Luke Jones , 5. Lopeti Timani , 6. Jordy Reid , 7. Sean McMahon , 8. Adam Thomson , 9. Nic Stirzaker (captain) , 10. Jack Debreczeni , 11. Sefa Naivalu , 12. Tamati Ellison , 13. Reece Hodge , 14. Cam Crawford , 15. Jonah Placid
Replacements : 16. Pat Leafa , 17. Cruze Ah Nau , 18. Jamie Hagan , 19. Sam Jeffries , 20. Colby Fainga’a , 21. Ben Meehan , 22. Kotaro Matsushima , 23. Sione Tuipulotu.
Cheetahs
1. Charles Marais , 2. Torsten van Jaarsveld , 3. Maks van Dyk , 4. Lodewyk de Jager (vc) , 5. Francois Uys , 6. Hilton Lobberts , 7. Uzair Cassiem , 8. Paul Schoeman , 9. Shaun Venter , 10. Neil Marais , 11. Raymond Rhule , 12. Francois Venter (C) , 13. Nico Lee , 14. Sergeal Petersen , 15. Clayton Blommetjies
Replacements: 16. Jacques du Toit , 17. Danie Mienie , 18. Luan de Bruin , 19. Carl Wegner , 20. Henco Venter , 21. Oupa Mohoje , 22. Tian Meyer , 23. Fred Zeilinga
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