Eddie Fouche has fully recovered from his injuries and will start at flyhalf for the Pumas against the Lions in Johannesburg on Friday.
The Mpumalanga-based side welcome back Fouche, who was in great form in Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked last year when knee and hip injuries cut short his season after just three matches.
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The Lowvelders’ encounter in Joburg kicks off at 7pm and is the first in a series of local warm-up matches to be televised live on SuperSport.
Coach Jimmy Stonehouse has paired the returning Fouche with promising young scrumhalf Giovan Snyman, while the more experienced Ginter Smuts provides cover on the bench.
With Fouche preferred in the pivot role, it means another outing at fullback for Devon Williams, whose attacking skills are perhaps better suited in the No 15 jersey.
At lock, the coach has opted for the combination of skipper Pieter Jansen van Vuren and Brandon Valentyn, while Le Roux Roets is set to come off the bench.
Pumas – 15 Devon Williams, 14 Luther Obi, 13 Alwayno Visagie, 12 Wayne van der Bank, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Eddie Fouche, 9 Giovan Snyman, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Ewart Potgieter, 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Pieter Jansen van Vuren (c), 4 Brandon Valentyn, 3 Ig Prinsloo, 2 Simon Westradt, 1 Morgan Naude.
Subs: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Liam Hendricks, 18 Dewald Maritz, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Kwanda Dimaza, 21 Ginter Smuts, 22 Ali Mgijima, 23 Tapiwa Mafura.
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Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
