Challenge Series - Teams and Predictions

SUNDAY FUNDAY: The Cheetahs will host unbeaten Emerging Ireland in the Challenge Series on Sunday.

The fixture will be the Cheetahs’ second Challenge match.

The Bloemfontein side already bagged an R250 000 cash prize with their win over the Bulls.

And after Sunday’s match, they will challenge USA National A and the Griquas at the Free State Stadium for R1 million in prize money!

Each game (that features the Cheetahs) has R250 000 up for grabs.

However, Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie knows all too well Sunday’s encounter will be far from easy.

The coach selected a very strong team to face the Emerging Irish, who secured wins over Griquas and Pumas.

Springbok utility back Frans Steyn returns to the starting XV after international duty.

Steyn will don the No.12 jersey and will partner with David Brits in the midfield.

Another name that headlines the line-up is Ruan Pienaar. The Cheetahs legend will start at scrumhalf.

“We’ve seen what the Irish can do and selected our strongest possible side,” Fourie said.

We expect them to pick their strongest combination to play against us.

“We are looking forward to a tough game. We prepared well during the week and look forward to the challenge.”

📍 Bloemfontein, South Africa.

It was a special day for the #EmergingIreland squad yesterday as they visited an orphanage that houses, cares and educates young children in a safe environment 🇿🇦#TeamOfUs | #IrishRugby pic.twitter.com/82GSCgrUVL

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) October 7, 2022

In the Emergeing Ireland squad, Max Deegan resumes the captain’s role and is joined in the backrow by John Hodnett and Cian Prendergast.

Tom Ahern and Joe McCarthy are named at lock with Michael Milne, Tom Stewart and Thomas Clarkson in the front row.

In the backs, Nathan Doak and Jack Crowley get another start as the half-back pairing with Stewart Moore and Jamie Osborne getting a second outing in midfield. The back three sees the return of Robert Baloucoune and Calvin Nash on the wings and Shane Daly at fullback.

The replacements named are Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Brian Deeny, James Culhane, Ben Murphy, Jake Flannery and Chay Mullins.

*Meanwhile, the first match of the day will see the Pumas face the Western Province.

The Currie Cup Champions Pumas will be oozing with confidence following their narrow 24-28 defeat to the Emerging Irish last Wednesday.

Jimmy Stonehouse’s men produced an incredible second-half show and will be hoping to eclipse it when they face the young WP side.

The Pumas made several changes to their starting XV.

Sebastiaan De Klerk moves from outside centre to wing in place of Jade Sringligh.

This means that Diego Apollis comes in at outside and will partner with Ali Mgjima as the new-look midfield.

Lundi Msenge also gets a start at the left wing while Lucky Dlepu comes in at scrumhalf.

In the pack, LLwellyn Classen starts at a hooker and joins the front row of Ignatius Prinsloo and Corné Fourie.

There is a new loose forward combination of Khwezi Mafu,  Anele Lungisa and  Franna Kleinhans replace André Fouché, Kwanda Dimaza and Jaco Labuschagne.

WP’s matchday squad provides an opportunity for Stormers squad members to get valuable game time and push for United Rugby Championship selection, while WP U21 players continue their preparation for their semifinal next week.

Injure Stormers players Scarra Ntubeni, Stefan Ungerer and Ruhan Nel have been assisting Head Coach Labeeb Levy in preparing the team for this friendly match.

Levy said that although it is a friendly, this is a good opportunity for the players involved to showcase their talents.

“We know that there are no easy games against the Pumas, so this will be a tough match,” Levy said.

“The players are all motivated to show what they can do, but our biggest challenge will be for the combination to gel as they have not had any gametime together.”

Teams and predictions for Sunday’s matches

Pumas v Western Province
(Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-off: 13.00; 12.00 Ireland time; 11.00 GMT)

Prediction
@rugby365com: Pumas by 17 points

Teams:

Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastiaan de Klerk, 13 Diego Apollis, 12 Ali Mgjima, 11 Lundi Msenge, 10 Tinus de Beer (captain), 9 Lucky Dlepu, 8 Khwezi Mafu, 7 Anele Lungisa, 6 Franna Kleinhans, 5 Shane Kirkwood, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 LLwellyn Classen, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Etienne Janeke, 18 Simon Raw, 19 Kwanda Dimaza, 20 Jaco Labuschange, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Gene Willemse, 23 Ettienne Taljaard.

Western Province: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Duran Koevort, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Chris Hollis, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Jarrod Taylor, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Leon Lyons.
Replacements: 16 Christiaan Lamprecht, 17 Luthando Woji, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Busanda Mabena, 20 Jacques Goosen, 21 Liam Kluseman, 22 Melbert van der Spuy, 23 Rethabile Louw.

Cheetahs v Emerging Ireland
(Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-off: 15.00; 14.00 Ireland time; 13.00 GMT)

Prediction
@rugby365com: Cheetahs by five points

Teams:

Cheetahs:15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Britz, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Tapiwa Mafura, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Oupa Mohoje, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Jeandré Rudolph, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Marné Coetzee, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Chucky van der Merwe, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Sibabalo Qoma, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 Munier Hartzenberg.

Emerging Ireland: 15 Shane Daly, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Jamie Osbourne, 12 Stewart Moore, 11 Robert Baloucoune, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 Max Deegan (Captain), 7 John Hodnett, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Tom Ahern, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Tom Stewart, 1 Michael Milne
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Roman Salanoa, 19 Brian Deeny, 20 James Culhane, 21 Ben Murphy, 22 Jake Flannery, 23 Chay Mullins

*Compiled by Leezil Hendricks