The Cats, already under tremendous pressure after their hapless performance against defending champions the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday, will be without Willie Meyer in Friday's Super 12 game against the Highlanders at Carisbrook.

Meyer on Sunday was suspended for a week after receiving a red card in the defeat to the Brumbies. The Springbok tighthead prop (pictured) received the red card from Kiwi referee Paul Honiss with about three minutes of playing time left after earlier receiving a yellow card. He appeared before a disciplinary committee on Sunday.

Another Cats player, lock Willem Scholtz, also had to spend 10 minutes in the sin-bin after being yellow-carded for a high tackle. Meyer earned his yellow in the 68th minute after shoulder-charging an opponent.

He was hardly back on the field when the second yellow - that automatically becomes red - came his way after touch judge Stuart Dickenson informed Honiss that Meyer stamped on an opponents' head.

The enforced absence of Stoltz and Meyer proved very costly to the Cats. The rampant Brumbies scored 19 points in Stoltz's absence and added another two tries while Meyer was sidelined.

However, Cats coach Frans Ludeke said after the 64-16 defeat he did not think a lack of discipline was a problem. "I will study the video of the game and if I think it is necessary I will act against players who conceded stupid penalties."

Cats manager Mac Hendricks said the video recording of the incident does not show clearly what happened since the camera followed the ball.

"The disciplinary committee accepted the word of the touch judge and the referee that Willie stamped on somebody. The Sanzar rule is clear that the referee's version of what happened on the field would be accepted unless it could be proven wrong. We could not prove him wrong," Hendricks said.

In Meyer's absence Baksteen Nell, as the only other specialist tighthead in the touring party, is likely to wear the No 3 jersey. Lawrence Sephaka could play there in case of an emergency, but he prefers loosehead.

Ludeke needs a fresh injection of enthusiasm in the side after the meek capitulation on Saturday and the inclusion of Andre Pretorius at flyhalf could just provide the spark so desperately needed against the Brumbies.

Louis Koen is a solid, dependable flyhalf with a good kicking boot, but with him as pivot the Cats are just too predictable on the attack.

Pretorius' flair might just bring out the attacking skills of Dean Hall, Conrad Jantjes, Friedrich Lombaard and Gcobani Bobo.