Improving Steval Pumas, target first Currie Cup win
Currently eighth on the log, the Steval Pumas haven’t had an ideal start to the Currie Cup, but have a good chance of bagging their first win of the campaign when they face the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington on Friday afternoon.
The Mpumalanga side will draw encouragement from all-round improvements shown in the narrow 41-35 defeat to Griquas last week. The team appears better settled, with coach MJ Mentz putting faith in the new combinations which started against Griquas. Emile Temperman, Leighton van Wyk, Devon Williams, Bernado Botha and JP Lewis retain their places in what is a youthful backline, balanced by the experience of flyhalf Francois Brummer. Hennie Skorbinski is sitting out with a hamstring strain and will be replaced by the talented Tyler Fisher at outside centre.
The side will again be captained by Renaldo Bothma at number 8. Hugo Kloppers resumes starting duties at lock, with Jannie Stander partnering him in place of the benched Wiehan Hey. Marne Coetzee is tentatively down to start at tighthead prop, pending on the status of Louis Albertse’s knee injury.
Flank Lambert Groenewald and utility back Ruwellyn Isbel have recovered from injury and will be ready to take the field from the bench. Khwezi Mona is tentatively listed at replacement prop as he returns from an eye socket injury.
Coach Mentz recognised that the side is under some pressure after three losses in a row.
“We know that week in, week out there will be some form of pressure, but we are always motivated to start each week on a new page. We have a good chance for a win against Boland, especially after playing much better rugby against Griquas. Boland are a well-trained and experienced team and the pitch in Wellington is always heavier under foot, so we need to play the right type of game,” Mentz said.
The match starts at 15h00 on Friday and will be aired on Supersport 1.
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