/ 3 March 1998

Dalton to lead Cats

TUESDAY 11.15AM

JAMES DALTON will lead the Golden Cats in their crucial Super-12 match against defending champions Auckland Blues at Ellis Park on Saturday.

True to his word, Cats’ coach Peet Kleynhans has given Dalton the captaincy and hooking position, after Dalton had to warm the bench on Saturday while fellow Springbok hooker Naka Drotske skippered the Cats.

Kleynhans has made some changes to the side that beat the Northern Bulls 39-32 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Rassie Erasmus moves from flank to the back of the scrum, replacing injured Free State teammate AJ Venter; Hennie le Roux was given the nod as flyhalf ahead of MJ Smith.

The team: Thinus Delport, Jannie van der Walt, Japi Mulder, Edrich Lubbe, Jan-Harm van Wyk, Hennie le Roux, Werner Swanepoel, Rassie Erasmus, Andre Venter, Phillip Smit, Braam Els, Hannes Strydom, Willie Meyer, James Dalton(c), Os du Randt.