The exciting chase for Carling Currie Cup playoff places will gather pace when the action starts tonight when the Airlink Pumas host DHL Western Province at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit at 19h00.
The Airlink Pumas are currently in fifth place with 19 points and must be considered favourites for this home tie against second from bottom DHL Western Province, who return to action from a bye in the previous round.
Last weekend’s important 20-10 away win over the Cell C Sharks in Durban means the Lowvelders are now only two points behind Windhoek Draught Griquas, who are sitting in the fourth spot with 21 points. However, the men from Kimberley have played nine games to date compared to the pink jerseys’ eight.
A win will see the Nelspruit outfit overtake their Kimberley rivals, which will be a significant move considering there remain only two more games after this round before the semi-finals.
Jimmy Stonehouse’s team are unbeaten in their last two meetings with their Cape opponents following a convincing 37-11 triumph earlier in March in the Mother City plus a pulsating 40-40 draw last August in the DHL Stadium. Before these two results, they have lost the previous three fixtures between them, including last July’s corresponding 37-23 loss in Nelspruit.
DHL WP, on the other hand, is desperate to snap a disappointing sequence of seven successive losses.
The Airlink Pumas were forced to make three changes to their starting lineup due to medical reasons at a very late stage. Most of the changes were forced at the back. Sebastian de Klerk is replaced by Ettiene Taljaard while Ali Mgijima replaces Eddie Fouche at the inside centre, with Fouche moving to flyhalf to replace Tinus de Beer. Up front, Darrien Landsberg is promoted from the bench and replaces Malembe Mpofu
There are four changes to the DHL Western Province forward pack. Three of the changes are in the front row and the other is at lock, while the backline is unchanged.
There is an all-new front row of props Kwenxo Blose and Neethling Fouche and hooker Jacques van Zyl, while the other change sees Ernst van Rhyn start at lock.
Hooker HP van Schoor and wing Ebenezer Tshimanga are both in line to make their senior DHL Western Province debut from a replacements bench which also features loose forward Junior Pokomela.
DHL Western Province Head Coach Jerome Paarwater said that his team are looking forward to the challenge in Nelspruit.
“This latest break has given us another chance to work on a few things and hopefully we will see the result of that on Friday night.
“The players and coaches continue to work hard and we know that we will have to be at our best to come away with a win,” he said.
Teams:
Airlink Pumas: 15. Devon Williams, 14. Ettiene Taljaard, 13. Alwayno Visagie, 12. Eddie Fouche, 11. Tapiwa Mafura, 10. Tinus de Beer, 9. Chriswill September, 8. Willie Engelbrecht (c), 7. Anele Lungisa, 6. Daniel Maartens, 5. Shane Kirkwood, 4. Darrien Landsberg, 3. IG Prinsloo, 2. Eduan Swart, 1. Corne Fourie. Replacements: 16. Llewellyn Classen, 17. Dewald Maritz, 18. Simon Raw, 19. Deon Slabbert, 20. Phumzile Maqondwana, 21. Giovan Snyman, 22. Robbie Petzer, 23. Japie Kleynhans.
DHL Western Province: 15. Tristan Leyds, 14. Sergeal Petersen, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Cornel Smit, 11. Angelo Davids, 10. Timothy Swiel, 9. Godlen Masimla, 8. Keke Morabe, 7. Marcel Theunissen, 6. Nama Xaba (c), 5. Ben-Jason Dixon, 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 3. Neethling Fouche, 2. Jacques van Zyl, 1. Kwenzo Blose. Replacements: 16. HP van Schoor, 17. Leon Lyons, 18. Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19. Simon Miller, 20. Junior Pokomela, 21. Bobby Alexander, 22. Mnombo Zwelendaba, 23. Ebenezer Tshimanga.
