pre-match Steval Pumas vs Vodacom Blue Bulls, Saturday 10th September 19H10, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Key players back as Steval Pumas Welcome Bulls
Flank Brian Shabangu and outside centre Hennie Skorbinski are welcome returners to the Steval Pumas starting line-up, as the Mpumalanga side seeks to turn their Currie Cup campaign around against the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday night.
Shabangu will don the No. 6 jersey for the first time in more than a month, after recovering from a rib injury. He replaces Marnus Schoeman, who drops out of the playing squad.
“Marnus is being given a rest this week to get back some confidence. But we are really happy to have Brian back as he was in good form before his injury and brings a lot of experience, energy and physicality to his position,” said Steval Pumas coach MJ Mentz.
Skorbinski, who has also been in good form, has recovered from a hamstring strain to take up his usual starting berth in place of Tyler Fisher. Fisher is serving a one match ban for a red card he picked up when filling in at outside centre against Boland last Friday.
Marlou van Niekerk has been favoured at inside centre ahead of the benched Leighton van Wyk, while Lambert Groenewald comes in at right flank for Nardus van der Walt, who is out for the rest of the season with a ruptured ACL. Jannie Stander switches from left lock to right lock, with Wiehan Hay partnering him in the second row.
The Steval Pumas have suffered four losses in a row and currently sit in eighth place on the Currie Cup log with five bonus points, ahead of the EP Kings.
“The guys are really hungry for a win. We’ve worked extremely hard and owe it to ourselves and our supporters. The Bulls are always wary of us at Mbombela Stadium because we’ve beaten them here several times. It’s going to be a hard and physical task but every time we play the Bulls it automatically acts as motivation to up our game,” Mentz said.
The match at Mbombela Stadium kicks off at 19:10.
15 Full back WILLIAMS DEVON
14 Right wing BOTHA BERNADO
13 Right centre SKORBINSKI HENNIE
12 Left centre VAN NIEKERK MARLOU
11 Left wing LEWIS JEAN-PAUL
10 Fly half BRUMMER FRANCOIS
9 Scrum half TEMPERMAN EMILE
8 Number eight BOTHMA© RENALDO
7 Right flanker GROENEWALD LAMBERT
6 Left flanker SHABANGU BRIAN
5 Right lock STANDER JANNIE
4 Left lock HAY WIEHAN
3 Tight head prop COETZEE MARNE
2 Hooker HERNE FRANK
1 Loose head prop TERBLANCHE DE JAY
Replacements
16 Hooker WESTRAADT SIMON
17 Prop ALBBERTSE LOUIS
18 Lock GREEF STEPHAN
19 Utility Forward GREEFF CAREL
20 Scrum half LUITERS KEVIN
21 Utility back VAN WYK LEIGHTON
22 Utility back ISBELL RUWELLYN
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