Pumas don't fear WP Boks
The Pumas prepare for their final Currie Cup match of the season with the daunting challenge of facing a number of returning Springboks in the Western Province team.
Coach Jimmy Stonehouse has made two changes to the team that narrowly lost 29-23 against the Cheetahs last weekend.
Willem Serfontein comes into the second row in place of JP Mostert, who drops onto the bench, while Deon Scholtz will start on the right wing in place of the injured Wilhelm Loock.
Experienced hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld climbs onto the bench having recovered from his injury, while Michael de Neuilly-Rice misses out.
Stonehouse is understandable still upset about the narrow lost to the Cheetahs, having come very close to shocking the Free State side last week.
“It has been a difficult season for us with lots of close games going the other way,” he told this website.
“We’re in for a tough match against a lot of Springboks at Province, which tell me they want to make sure they try to get five points.
“It’s nice to know that they were worried about us enough to call back all those Boks.”
Pumas: 15 MJ Mentz, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Dewald Pretorius, 11 Johan Jackson, 10 Carl Bezuidenhout, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Christo le Roux, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corné Steenkamp (captain), 5 Eduan van der Walt, 4 Willem Serfontein, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Pellow van der Westhuizen, 1 Dawie Steyn.
Replacements: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Brett Nel, 18 JP Mostert, 19 RW Kember, 20 Hendrik van der Nest, 21 Coenie van Wyk, 22 Siviwe Magaba.
Date: Saturday, October 15
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Reuben Rossouw
TMO: Johann Meuwesen
