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Johannesburg - The Pumas have welcomed nippy scrumhalf Faf de Klerk back into their starting line-up for their opening Absa Currie Cup match against the Sharks in Nelspruit on Friday.
De Klerk was released from the Springbok camp on Monday and will be running out for the Mpumalanga-based side for the first time this season since his successful Super Rugby stint with the Lions.
Meanwhile, Pumas coach MJ Mentz has named inside centre Stefan Watermeyer as captain for the encounter while lock Giant Mtyanda has also been included since his return from loan to the Sharks.
Prop Corne Fourie, who also featured for the Lions in this year’s Super Rugby campaign, should get a run from the bench.
The Sharks will be travelling to Mpumalanga fully aware of the Pumas’ status as one of their bogey sides.
The coastal side suffered a 32-22 defeat to the Pumas in the corresponding fixture in 2014, while the Pumas will be further buoyed by their status as Vodacom Cup champions.
Teams:
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
Substitutes: 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
Sharks
15. Joe Pietersen, 14. S’bura Sithole, 13. Wandile Mjekevu, 12. Heimar Williams, 11. Andre Esterhuizen, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Stefan Ungerer, 8. Philip van der Walt, 7. Jean-Luc du Preez, 6. Khaya Majola, 5. Marco Wentzel (captain), 4. Etienne Oosthuizen, 3. Lourens Adriaanse, 2. Monde Hadebe, 1. Dale Chadwick
Substitutes: 16. Franco Marais, 17. Thomas du Toit, 18. Dave McDuling, 19. Daniel du Preez, 20. Francois Kleinhans, 21. Michael Claassens, 22. SP Marais
