The tug of war over Tukkies lock Duncan Naudé has resulted in the player not being available to take part in the Pumas’ match against the Eagles at Witbank on Friday night as he has been roped in by the Lions this week in the midst of a lock crisis.
He had previously indicated that he had accepted an offer from the Pumas but now the former NWU-Puk player Luhan Veldhuizen will make his debut for the side.
The Pumas have their backs against the wall and need to win this match to retain a place in the top four if they hope to qualify for the play offs.
Naudé was The Pumas will be without their new centre Shaun Venter, who broke a finger and so Christiaan Els gets another chance to show his mettle.
The rest of the backline stays the same as that which lead the Bulldogs 30-10 at half-time last week.
Coach Jimmy Stonehouse has made several changes to his front row. Flanker Francois van Wijk is out with a knee ligament injury and Savage van Heerden will start at seven, With Veldhuizen at lock and Dawie Steyn back at loosehead, DJ Terblanche is back at tighthead prop.
Pumas
Rudi Vogt; Jiffy Lampecht, Christiaan Els, Jevon Botha, Gordon Pangetti; Tiaan Marx, Jacques Coetzee (c); Nicol Mostert, Johan van Heerden, Martin Sithole, Eduaan van der Walt, Luhan Veldhuizen, DJ Terblanche, Ashton Constant, Dawie Steyn Reserves: Sean Johnson, Morné Kruger, André du Toit, Faan Basson, Jaco Parsons, Johan Saayman, John Noble.
