Pumas sweat on Spekman

 

Spekman has been included in the starting line-up but a decision on his availability will be made on Tuesday.

 

The Pumas won the right to compete in this years competition after coming out tops in the First Division and then playing the Griquas in a promotion match.

 

The Mpumalanga team defeated the Griquas 33-15 last year in the deciding leg of the promotion-relegation playoffs and announced themselves into the competition.

 

Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse is excited for this new opportunity and is adamant that he won't be involved in another promotion-relegation play-off this time around.

 

"We came here by beating the Griquas and obviously we don't want to play a promotion-relegation match again," he said ahead of their clash in Nelspruit.

 

"Every game is very vital for us, especially in Nelspruit with our first home game – we will give everything we can.

 

"We want to play a nice brand of rugby, playing the ball up front in order to get it wide.

 

"For us it is very important to be good in this game [against the Cheetahs] having just returned to the Premier division."

 

Pumas: 15 JW Bell, 14 Ruwellyn Isbell, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Rosco Spekman, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Reynier van Rooyen, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corné Steenkamp (captain), 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Frikkie Spies, 3 Dejay Terblanche, 2 Francois du Toit, 1 Vincent Koch.

Replacments: 16 Frankie Herne, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 19 Uzair Cassiem, 20 Sinoyuvo Nyoka, 21 JC Roos, 22 Jerome Pretorius.