THE Cats will have to square up to Super 12 favourites, the Otago Highlanders, with a rookie backline in Saturday’s Ellis Park showdown. Back-up Springbok scrumhalf Werner Swanepoel was the latest casualty in Saturday’s defeat by the Sharks, injuring his knee and spending Saturday night in hospital. Swanepoel’s place in the Cats squad is expected to be taken by Griquas player Dave von Hoesslin, who will make an inexperienced yet potentially explosive halfback pairing with flyhalf Pieter O’Neill. Other high profile Cats on the sidelines are prop Os du Randt, hooker James Dalton, wings Chester Williams and James Small, utility backs Gaffie du Toit and Boeta Wessels, and lock Johan Ackermann.