Stapelberg unleashed on Province
Stapelberg, recruited from the University of Stellenbosch, will be making his Currie Cup debut for the Cheetahs in Cape Town.
Having represented South Africa at the 2015 Under-20 world championship, Stapelberg signed a contract extension with Western Province earlier this year.
However, last month he was released to the Cheetahs for the remainder of their Currie Cup season.
With an accurate boot and array of skills, he helped Maties to the 2017 Varsity Cup Final and he was eventually named in the Dream Team.
His efforts earned him a call up into the Western Province squad for the 2017 Currie Cup.
Meanwhile seasoned midfielder Jacobus Jonker will be playing in his 50th Currie Cup game for the Free State Cheetahs on Saturday.
Jonker has earned 96 Currie Cup caps during his career.
He represented the Cheetahs from 2006 to 2010 in 45 matches (11 tries) and again in 2017 in four matches.
In 2010 the played in four Currie Cup matches for the Griffons (six tries), represented the Pumas from 2011 to 2014 in 38 matches (14 tries) and the Griquas in five games (two tries) in 2016.
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Marco Mason, 14 Carel Jan Coetzee, 13 Jacobus Jonker, 12 Steph Janse van Rensburg, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Ernst Stapelberg, 9 Juan-Philip Smith, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Chris Dry (captain), 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Nicolaas Immelman, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Johan Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Andrew Kuhn, 18 Siba Qoma, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Fifi Rampeta, 21 Dian Badenhorst, 22 Ryno Eksteen.
Date: Saturday, September 9
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen and Divan Uys
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
