Lions duo start for Pumas

Stefan Watermeyer and JW Jonker will form a new centre pairing for the Pumas' Currie Cup clash with the Free State Cheetahs in Nelspruit on Saturday.

Both players featured regularly in the Lions team that performed so admirably during the Super Rugby season and Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has given them a chance to show what they can do at Currie Cup level.

Fellow Lions scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and fullback Coenie van Wyk have been ruled out through injury.

Meanwhile, experienced flank Corné Steenkamp will lead the side, while Namibian international Renaldo Bothma will start at No 8.

Pumas – 15 JW Bell, 14 Ruwellyn Isbell, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Rosco Speckman, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Reynier van Rooyen, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corné Steenkamp (c), 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Frikkie Spies, 3 DeJay Terblanche, 2 Francois du Toit, 1 Vincent Koch.
Subs: 16 Frankie Herne, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Giant Mtyanda, 19 Uzair Cassiem, 20 Snake Nyoka, 21 JC Roos, 22 Jerome Pretorius.

Photo: Barry Aldworth/BackpagePix