Stefan Watermeyer
Seasoned midfielder Stefan Watermeyer will lead the Steval Pumas in the opening Round of the Currie Cup, when they host the Cell C Sharks in Nelspruit on Friday.
He will be assisted by lock Lubabalo ‘Giant’ Mtyanda, who has been named vice-captain.
Mtyanda is 1 of a handful of players returning from Super Rugby franchises. The lock played for the Cell C Sharks this year during Super Rugby, before returning to Nelspruit for the Currie Cup competition.
Also back is scrumhalf Francois ‘Faf’ de Klerk, who was released from the Springbok training camp on Tuesday – where he had been for the past month, after his impressive Super Rugby season with the Emirates Lions.
Also back from the Emirates Lions is prop Corne Fourie.
Watermeyer, who was a key figure in the Nelspruit-based outfit’s victorious Vodacom Cup campaign, will play in his 43rd match for the Pumas.
Fullback JW Bell will take to the field in his 50th game for the Pumas.
Steval Pumas: 15 JW Bell, 14 Bernado Botha, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Stefan Watermeyer (Captain), 11 Rosco Spekman, 10 JC Roos, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Lambert Groenewald, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Giant Mtyanda, 4 Rudi Mathee, 3 De-Jay Terblanché, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Khwezi Mona
Replacements: 16 Francois du Toit, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Marius Coetzer, 19 Jason-Colin Fraser, 20 Reynier van Rooyen, 21 Justin van Staden, 22 Hoffmann Maritz.
Date: Friday 7 August
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-Off: 18:00 SA Time (16:00 GMT)
Referee: Jaco van Heerden
Assistant Referees: Ben Crouse, Renier Vermeulen
TMO: Johan Greeff
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