Airlink Pumas Made Several Changes In Starting Line-up For Trip To Ellis Park

 

The Airlink Pumas have made wholesale changes to their starting lineup to face the Fidelity ADT Lions in Round 2 of the 2026 Carling Currie Cup. The clash takes place on Saturday, 25 July 2026, at Ellis Park Stadium with kick-off at 15:00 SAST.

Head coach Jimmy Stonehouse has shuffled his pack significantly following a hard-fought opening-round defeat to the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV. Etienne Janeke (1), Chyle van Zyl (2), and Junior Banda (3) all move up from the bench into the starting lineup. They replace Kudzwai Dube, Jordan McLoughlin, and Sampie Swiegers, while Stephan Krugel is promoted from the bench to start at No. 4, which pushes JJ Scheepers to No. 5.  De Wet Marais takes over from Ntsika Fisanti at No. 6, and captain Willie Engelbrecht shifts from No. 8 to No. 7 to replace Ruwald van der Merwe, opening up space for Marvelous Mashimbyi to step up from the bench into the No. 8 jersey. 

At the back, Danrich Visagie is promoted from the bench to fill the No. 10 jersey, replacing Nevaldo Fleurs at flyhalf, while Troy Delport earns a start at inside centre (No. 12) in place of Wian van Niekerk. Out wide, Dalvron Blood replaces Tino Swanepoel on the left wing (No. 11), while Alfonso Isaacs moves up from the bench to claim the right wing (No. 14) spot from Lundi Msenge. 

Airlink Pumas: 15 Jaycee Nel, 14 Alfonso Isaacs, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Troy Delport, 11 Dalvron Blood, 10 Danrich Visagie, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Marvelous Mashimbyi, 7 Willie Engelbrecht (captain), 6 De Wet Marais, 5 JJ Scheepers, 4 Stephan Krugel, 3 Junior Banda, 2 Chyle van Zyl, 1 Etienne Janeke. Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Kudzwai Dube, 18 Bryan le Roux, 19 Andre Goedhals, 20 Thabo Ndimande, 21 Conor van Eeden, 22 Nevaldo Fleurs, 23 Velentino Wellman.