Stegmann back for Bulls

Pretoria - Blue Bulls flank Deon Stegmann returns to the starting line-up for their Currie Cup clash against the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday (18:00 kick-off).

Stegmann was a late withdrawal from the team that beat the EP Kings at Loftus Versfeld last weekend.

That prompted the call-up of Clyde Davids to the bench and Jacques du Plessis moving to the flank, but with Stegmann fit again, it is back to the regular starting pack for the match at Mbombela Stadium.

Du Plessis and Marvin Orie will start at lock, with RG Snyman dropping back to the bench in place of Davids.

"This is our last match before the playoffs, so we need to confirm the momentum and rhythm we want to take into the knockout stage. I am happy that we could select a strong team for this match against a very capable opponent," coach Nollis Marais said.

"We are probably playing our toughest match of the year. The Pumas at home, on a very hot afternoon, can be a very taxing encounter. We are going to need great individual performances, but also a massive team effort to bring this one home. We dare not look past this match to the playoffs, as we need to grow as a team and continue our upward curve in the competition."

Blue Bulls captain, Lappies Labuschagne, feels that the home side was unlucky in a number of matches this year and could easily have been part of the playoffs.

"The Pumas are a dangerous opponent, full stop. They have a solid pack and that enables their backs to prosper. We will need to win this one up front, if we want to secure a win. It is going to be tough, but we would not want it any other way."

Teams:

Pumas:

15 Hoffmann Marnitz, 14 Bernado Botha, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Stefan Watermeyer (captain), 11 Rosco Speckman, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jason-Colin Fraser, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Rudi Mathee, 4 Giant Mtyanda, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Francois du Toit, 1 Corne Fourie

Substitutes: 16 Frank Herne, 17 De-Jay Terblanché, 18 Marius Coetzer, 19 Dylan Petersen, 20 Reynier van Rooyen, 21 Hennie Skorbinski, 22 Wilmaure Louw

Blue Bulls:

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Lappies Labuschagne (captain), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Pierre Schoeman

Substitutes: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 RG Snyman, 19 Ruan Steenkamp, 20 Ivan van Zyl, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 William Small-Smith