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Mentz tweaks team for Cheetahs

The Pumas come into this match after suffering a 50-19 defeat to Western Province in Cape Town last weekend. This weekend's clash is crucial for both the Pumas and the Cheetahs if they have any hope of making the play-offs.

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The Cheetahs have one hand on a play-off berth, lying in fourth place on the log on 18 points, while the Pumas are sixth on 13 points with two rounds left in the regular season.

The Pumas made a couple changes from last weeks defeat. There is a positonal change which sees Jerome Pretorius move from the centres and will take up his position on the right wing this weekend. Hoffmann Maritz comes into the outside centre position. Stefan Watermeyer slots into the inside centre position along with captaining the team and will replace Wilmaure Louw who drops out of the matchday squad.

In the loose trio there is changes which sees Jaco Bouwer moving from the blindside flank to openside flank and replaces Marnus Schoeman who moves to the bench. Uzair Cassiem will play on the blindslide flank this weekend.

On the bench, Hooker Francois du Toit comes in for Simon Westraadt and Rudi Mathee replaces Jannie Stander.

Pumas: 15 John-Wessel Bell, 14 Jerome Pretoius, 13 Hoffmann Maritz, 12 Stefan Watermeyer (captain), 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Jason-Colin Fraser, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Jaco Bouwer, 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Corné Fourie

Replacements: 16 Francois du Toit, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Rudi Mathee, 19 Marnus Schoeman, 20 Reynier van Rooyen, 21 Hennie Skorbinski, 22 Bernardo Botha

Date: Saturday, October 3

Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Kick-off: 13.15 (11.15 GMT)

Referee: Jaco van Heerden

Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Pieter Maritz

TMO: Willie Vos

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