Pumas start Currie Cup campaign without four Super Rugby players

Aug 5 • General News • 2607 Views • Comments Off on Pumas start Currie Cup campaign without four Super Rugby players

The Lions’ Super Rugby players Coenie van Wyk, Faf de Klerk, Corné Fourie and Rudi Mathee will not be in the Steval Pumas’ starting line-up for their Currie Cup match against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs on Saturday.

Coach Jimmy Stonehouse takes a big chance by replacing hooker Jacques Momberg with the newbie Francois du Toit. Fourie that scored a brilliant try on Friday against the Blue Bulls has to make way for Vincent Koch.

Stonehouse’s team lost to the Vodacom Blue Bulls on Friday in their last warm-up match before the Currie Cup kicks off this Friday. The Pumas lost 46-38 in what was a thrilling game.

Justin van Staden will start at fly half for the second week in a row with JC Roos on the bench. De Klerk suffers with a torn groin while Van Wyk needs to undergo surgery in his knee. Mathee is also still busy with rehabilitation.

Speedster Rosco Spekman and Jerome Pretorius might also not be available for Saturday’s game as they both need to complete a fitness test on Wednesday. Both struggle with their groins.

Both JW Jonker and JW Bell is part of the starting group with Jonker playing his first official match this year. He played his last game for the Pumas in 2012 against the EP Kings.

WP rugby player, Dillon Frylink started with the Pumas last week on a trail period. He trained with the team on Thursday and Friday. Whether he will fit with the team’s game plan, we will have to wait and see.

Corné Steenkamp is once again captaining the side.

The team to face the Cheetahs

1. Vincent Koch
2. Francois du Toit
3. DeJay Terblanche
4. Frikkie Spies
5. Marius Coetzer
6. Corne Steenkamp
7. Jaco Bouwer
8. Renaldo Bothma
9. Reynier van Rooyen
10. Justin van Staden
11. Rosko Specman
12. Stefan Watermeyer
13. JW Jonker
14. Ruwelyn Isbell
15. JW Bell
Replacements – Frankie Herne, Corne Fourie Giant Mtyanda, Uzair Cassiem, Sinovuyo Nyoka, JC Roos and Trompie Pretorius.

Author: Carli Koch