Pumas lure a Springbok to Nelspruit
Veteran Bok Hilton Lobberts will play his 150th first-class match should he take the field for the Pumas against Western Province at Nelspruit's Mbombela Stadium on Friday.
Lobberts, a journeyman, has been included on the Pumas bench – after spells with the Blue Bulls, Western Province, the Cheetahs and Griquas.
He played in two Test matches for the Boks and represented the Emerging Springboks.
Pumas coach Brent Janse van Rensburg has also recalled a number of his first-choice players – in centre Gerrit Smith, scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer, lock Hugo Kloppers and loosehead prop Kwezi Mona.
The Pumas will, however, be without talisman flank Chris Cloete who wasn't considered due to a tear to his AC joint in the shoulder.
There is also another new face in former Lions centre Selom Gavor, who could also make his Puma debut.
In changes to the Starting XV Jerome Pretorius moves from outside centre to the right wing – in place of Jean-Paul Lewis.
Gerrit Smith returns to the side at outside centre.
Ungerer is back at the expense of Reynier van Rooyen.
Lambert Groenewald replaces the injured Cloete.
Kloppers replaces Cameron Lindsay at lock and De-Jay Terblanche makes way for Mona at loosehead prop in the starting XV.
Pumas: 15 Justin van Staden, 14 Jerome Pretorius, 13 Gerrit Smith, 12 Hennie Skorbinski (captain), 11 Ruwellyn Isbell, 10 Kobus Marais, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Lambert Groenewald, 6 Thembelani Bholi, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Mark Pretorius, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Frank Herne, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Cameron Lindsay, 19 Brian Shabangu, 20 Hilton Lobberts, 21 Reynier van Rooyen, 22 Selom Gavor.
Date: Friday, September 15
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Ricus van der Hoven, Shemea Mushiribindi
TMO: Lesego Legoete
