Currie Cup round four: Stormers XXIII and Cheetahs named for headline clash

The fourth round of the Currie Cup features a full programme of intriguing fixtures, with Stormers XXIII hosting the Cheetahs in the weekend’s headline match on Sunday.

The Stormers XXIII-Cheetahs encounter starts at 15:00, following Saturday’s three fixtures: Griquas against Lions at 13:00, Bulls against Pumas at 15:05, and Sharks against Boland Cavaliers at 17:15.

Griquas v Lions – Saturday, 13:00

Griquas will start with Stefan Coetzee at full-back, while Albert Liebenberg captains the side from the second row.

Griquas: 15 Stefan Coetzee, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Zane Bester, 12 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 11 Gurshwin Wehr, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Carl Els, 7 Carel van der Merwe, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Albert Liebenberg (captain), 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Ig Prinsloo, 2 Tiaan Lange, 1 Leon Lyons. Replacements: 16 Janus Venter, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Derick Pretorius, 20 Dillon Smith, 21 Jack Hart, 22 Sako Makata, 23 Connor Mahoney.

The Lions selection includes Sam Francis at fly-half and Morne Venter at number eight.

Lions: 15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Keagan Smith, 13 Likhona Finca, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Jason Hugo, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Asad Moos, 8 Morne Venter, 7 Jarod Cairns, 6 Thando Biyela, 5 Dylan Sjoblom, 4 Tiaan Wessels, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Mahle Sithole, 1 Morgan Naude. Replacements: 16 Ruan Welman, 17 Cecil Parsons, 18 Ruan Swart, 19 JD Hattingh, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Layton Horn, 22 Exauce Kevani, 23 Luke Cannon.

Bulls v Pumas – Saturday, 15:05

Keagan Johannes leads the Bulls, who have Devon Williams at number 10 and Dieter Schubert at number eight.

Bulls: 15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Riyaad Bam, 13 Demitre Erasmus, 12 Christiaan Vlok, 11 Lindsey Jansen, 10 Devon Williams, 9 Keagan Johannes (captain), 8 Dieter Schubert, 7 Abongile Nonkontwana, 6 Kebotile Maake, 5 Sintu Manjezi, 4 Johnathan Eloff, 3 Jean Erasmus, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Dylan Smith. Replacements: 16 Jon Hobson, 17 Damian Baker, 18 Dian Coetzee, 19 Jacques Swarts, 20 Cephas van Biljon, 21 Thomas Beling, 22 Brooklyn Newman, 23 Aka Boqwana.

Willie Engelbrecht captains the Pumas, with Thomas Bursey selected at scrum-half.

Pumas: 15 Jay-Cee Nel, 14 Alfondso Isaacs, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Banie Britz, 10 Nevaldo Fleurs, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Willie Engelbrecht (captain), 7 Ruwald van der Merwe, 6 Ntsika Fisanti, 5 Tiaan de Klerk, 4 JJ Scheepers, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Chyle van Zyl, 1 Etienne Janeke. Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Kudzwai Dube, 18 Junior Banda, 19 Stephan Krugel, 20 Thabo Ndimande, 21 Russwill Fredericks, 22 Tino Swanepoel, 23 Darren Adonis.

Sharks v Boland Cavaliers – Saturday, 17:15

The Sharks XV are led by Ross Braude, while Tim Swiel starts at fly-half and Tinotenda Mavesere wears the number-eight shirt.

Sharks XV: 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Christie Grobbelaar, 13 Lyle Matthews, 12 Janco Purchase, 11 Khuthi Rasivhaga, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Ross Braude (captain), 8 Tinotenda Mavesere, 7 Johan Momsen, 6 Willem van den Hever, 5 Deon Slabbert, 4 Meno Barnard, 3 Simphiwe Ngobese, 2 Bryce Calvert, 1 Phiwayinkosi ‘Rambo’ Kubheka. Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Jaco du Toit, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Hanu Pieterse, 20 Wasi Vyambwera, 21 Juan Loots, 22 Albie Bester, 23 Chijindu Okonta.

Thurlow Marsh captains Boland Cavaliers, with Louis Schreuder at scrum-half.

Boland Cavaliers: 15 Domenic Smit, 14 Xavier Mitchell, 13 Lunathi Nxele, 12 Jurick Lewis, 11 Jayden Bantom, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Khwezi Mafu, 6 Gift Dlamini, 5 Marlyn Williams, 4 Johnre Stopforth, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Joshua Eras, 1 Mthokozisi Gumede. Replacements: 16 Darnell Osuagwu, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Heiko Pohlmann, 19 Jeandre Leonard, 20 Taine Booysen, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Chris Smit, 23 James Tedder.

Stormers XXIII v Cheetahs – Sunday, 15:00

Jean-Luc du Plessis captains Stormers XXIII from fly-half, with Dylan Miller and Suleiman Hartzenberg forming the back-three alongside full-back Markus Muller.

Stormers XXIII: 15 Dylan Miller, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Josh Boulle, 11 Mfundo Ndhlovu, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis (captain), 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Divan Fuller, 7 Louw Nel, 6 Xola Nyali, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Tom Barnard, 3 Herman Lubbe, 2 Vernon Paulo, 1 Mhleli Khuzwayo. Replacements: 16 Altus Rabe, 17 Hencus van Wyk, 18 Danie Kruger, 19 Gerbrandt Grobler, 20 Luan Botha, 21 Ezekiel Ngobeni, 22 Kyle Smith, 23 Gino Cupido.

The Cheetahs will be captained by Neels Volschenk, with Faf de Klerk selected at scrum-half.

Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Michael Annies, 13 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 12 Zander du Plessis, 11 Prince Nkabinde, 10 Ethan Wentzel, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Neels Volschenk (captain), 7 Juan Venter, 6 Ramon Uys, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Simon Miller, 3 Frankie Dos Reis, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Tebogo Nkosi. Replacements: 16 Juan Smal, 17 Tielman Niewoudt, 18 Aranos Coetzee, 19 Curtly Thomas, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Sisonke Vumazonke, 22 Cohen Jasper, 23 Jooste Nel.