Pumas banking on Cheetahs and Sharks 'imports'
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has made several changes to his team for their opening match of the Currie Cup[ half of the domestic season.
The Pumas travel to Durban to face a powerful Sharks team at Kings Park on Friday.
Two former Cheetahs players – centre Ali Mgijima and flank Daniel Maartens – are in the starting XV as part of six chances to the starting XV that lost 5-21 to the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld last week, after trailing 0-21 inside the first half-hour.
The starting XV also includes two former Sharks players in Francois Kleinhans and Morné Joubert.
Joubert start on the right wing in place of Luther Obi, who drops out of the matchday 23.
Mgijima starts at inside centre in place of midfield regular Wayne van der Bank, who drops down to the bench.
Ginter Smuts comes in at scrumhalf, with Chriswill September moving down to the bench.
The changes among the forwards were necessitated by the absence of star No.8 Willie Engelbrecht, who is unavailable due to the death of his father.
Kleinhans moves to No.8, from openside flank, with Daniel Maartens starting at No.6.
Another former Cheetahs player, Tapiwa Mafura, also slots in on the bench.
Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Morné Joubert, 13 Erich Cronjé, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Theo Boshoff, 9 Ginter Smuts, 8 Francois Kleinhans, 7 Phumzile Maqondwana, 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Pieter Janse van Vuren (captain), 4 Darrien Landsberg, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 Hendrik van Schoor, 1 Liam Hendriks.
Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Wikus Groenewald, 18 Brandon Valentyn, 19 Heath Backhouse, 20 Chriswill September, 21 Wayne van der Bank, 22 Tapiwa Mafura, 23 Dewald Maritz.
Date: Friday, November 27
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Paul Mente
TMO: Marius Jonker
