The Free State Cheetahs won’t allow the Pumas any “bread and butter” opportunities when the two sides face off in the Currie Cup semi-final at Free State Stadium on Saturday.
The Cheetahs host the Pumas in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon, while the Vodacom Bulls face Griquas at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night, the Free Staters rediscovering their mojo at just the right time to defeat the Bulls last week and seal top spot in the standings.
The Bloem outfit finished the regular season with 10 wins but suffered one of just two defeats by the Pumas at home in the penultimate round of league action.
A fast start gave the men of Nelspruit just enough of a lead as they repelled a Cheetahs fightback to clinch a tense clash and hand Hawies Fourie’s charges a second loss on the trot.
Naming a relatively unchanged match-day 23 for the last-four clash in Bloem on Saturday, Fourie said: “We always want to improve on our previous performance. We had a really good first half [against the Bulls], but not that great of a second half.
“A lot of our focus this week has been not conceding too many penalties and give the Pumas a sniff.
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“We saw the Bulls game as a knockout as well because we wanted to finish on the top of the log, and we wanted to experience that pressure.”
In the only tweak to the Cheetahs starting XV, Gideon van der Merwe will return at openside flanker after he was rested against the Bulls, with Andisa Ntsila dropping to the bench. Flyhalf Reinhardt Fortuin has recovered from a thigh injury to also take a spot on the wood.
Skipper Ruan Pienaar added: “Our discipline hasn’t been great this season, we’ve given away a lot of penalties. Hopefully we can be disciplined on Saturday. I thought the Pumas scored two turnover tries from our mistakes last time, and that’s their bread and butter.
“We’ve got to be more clinical, especially those first 20 minutes. They play for 80 minutes and have a number of game-breakers.
“They haven’t been in a semi in a long time. But a few of our guys haven’t experienced a semi either. Both teams will be excited. We just need to stick to our DNA.”
Meanwhile, Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has tweaked his lineup for the trip to Bloem, as Andre Fouche starts at No 8 with captain Willie Engelbrecht moving to blindside flank.
Francois Kleinhans comes onto the bench to provide cover among the loose forwards, with Alwayno Visagie joining him as back-up for the outside backs, and Phumzile Maqondwana and Diego Appollis missing out.
Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Brits, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar (c), 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Aidon Davis, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Cameron Dawson.
Subs: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Marne Coetzee, 19 Ockie Barnard, 20 Andisa Ntsila, 21 Mihlali Mosi, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 Robert Ebersohn.
Pumas – 15 Devon Williams, 14 Tapiwa Mafura, 13 Sebastian de Klerk, 12 Eddie Fouche, 11 Jade Stighling, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Andre Fouche, 7 Willie Engelbrecht (c), 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Shane Kirkwood, 4 Deon Slabbert, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Corne Fourie.
Subs: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Simon Raw, 19 Kwanda Dimaza, 20 Francois Kleinhans, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Ali Mgijima, 23 Alwayno Visagie.
