Centre William Small-Smith was rushed to hospital after he collapsed during the Cheetahs’ captain’s run on Thursday.

Small-Smith was a late withdrawal from the team on Thursday morning after a training ground incident ruled him out of the clash.

The 27-year-old collapsed and had to be resuscitated before being rushed to a hospital by the emergency services.

Coach Franco Smith later visited the player and has since confirmed Small-Smith was kept at the hospital overnight and is in a stable condition.

‘It was a shortness of breath that made him collapse. Everyone was very frightened, but it was handled well by the medical staff on scene,’ Smith said.

Small-Smith has been replaced by Tapiwa Mafura in the starting lineup.

Free State Cheetahs (updated) – 15 Darren Adonis, 14 Tapiwa Mafura, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 Dries Swanepoel, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer (c), 8 Henco Venter, 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Marnus van der Merwe, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche.

Subs: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Reinach Venter, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Abongile Nonkontwana, 21 Gerhard Olivier, 22 Ruan Pienaar, 23 Louis Fouché.

Photo: Gerhard Steenkamp/BackpagePix