Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has named a strong side to face the Sharks in Nelspruit on Friday night, including a few who have donned the black and white themselves in the past.
Fullback Carl Bezuidenhout and wing Rosco Speckman have both been capped at Currie Cup level for the Sharks, while the Pumas boast a host of new players imported from other provinces as well. Former Boland flyer Deon Scholtz is at right wing, with a pair of former Griquas, Dewald Pretorius and Stefan Watermeyer, playing in midfield. Also joining the team from Kimberley is tighthead prop Ivann Espag, whose father Jaco also played for the Pumas.
Look out for former WP man Yaya Hartzenberg and Bulls stalwart Danwel Demas, both named on the bench.
Pumas: 15 Carl Bezuidenhout, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 Stefan Watermeyer, 12 Dewald Pretorius, 11 Rosco Speckman, 10 Tiaan Marx, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Doppies le Roux, 7 RW Kember, 6 Uzair Cassiem, 5 Eduan van der Walt, 4 Rudi Mathee, 3 Ivann Espag, 2 Jacques Momberg, 1 Vincent Koch.
Subs: 16 Frank Hearne, 17 Drew van Coller, 18 De Jay Terblanche, 19 Corné Fourie, 20 Boela Serfontein, 21 Yaya Hartzenberg, 22 Reynier van Rooyen, 23 Coenie van Wyk, 24 Danwel Demas.
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Danwel Demas… the juggler who butchered two tries against the Sharks in Super Rugby a few years ago and gifted us the game if I remember correctly – big fan of him playing in the opposition team
RW Kember will give them a good workout. I remember playing against him when he was playing for Collegians in Durban. Not fun! 😆
This team will give us a nice run, and I rate Jimmy Stonehouse as a coach. He’ll have a trick or two up his sleeve.
Sharks must go fullout in this game. No half assed efforts which gets players injured.
@Viking (Comment 3) : Please no injuries!!!
@Butchie34 (Comment 1) : I remember that game – was there on the East stand at Loftus. Lots of suur bulls supporters after the game!
@King Shark (Comment 5) : Think it might have been the same game where the best fullback to ever play for the Boks, inZane Kirchner, had a brain fart and kept forgetting he couldn’t kick the ball straight out if it had been passed back into the 22.
@Butchie34 (Comment 6) : Yes, you are right – it was indeed!
Love the deliberate irony.
i Will be there, and i hope the signal is good enough to keep you people updated.
@G West (Comment 8) :
Good stuff!
@G West (Comment 8) : Great man, appreciated!
@G West (Comment 8) : you’re a legend, G!
How depressing is it that the SR season kicks off with a weekend of all-ozzie-derbies? 😐
Damnit, bring on the real rugby!
@FireTheLooser (Comment 12) : I agree. It’s wrong
This should be a sterner test for sure! This pumas team could probaly thrash the Kings too lol.
Evenly matchged scrums, and Frans Steyn up against another behemoth in Dewald Pretorius.
Will be interesting to follow.
Will the guys not be holding back a bit after a couple of recent injuries in the squad?