Pumas coach explains surprise move at hooker

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has been forced into making a number of changes to his team for their Currie Cup Round Two encounter with the Lions at Ellis Park on Wednesday.

The team shows seven changes to the side that lost 19-33 to the Bulls in Round One last week.

"A number of the changes are the result of injuries," Stonehouse told @rugby365com.

The most significant change, which is not injury-related, is at hooker - where veteran Corne Fourie moves from loosehead prop to the middle of the front row.

"We struggled in the set pieces - line-outs and scrums - which is the reason for Corne Fourie's move to hooker," the coach said.

"He brings a lot of experience," Stonehouse said about the 33-year-old, who played 70-odd games for the Pumas before joining the Lions in 2014, where he played 80-odd games.

He moved to Cape Town in 2019 and also had two seasons with Gloucester in England, before returning to Nelspruit late last year.

The injury-related changes will see Aliqhayiya Mgijima start at inside centre in place of Robert Petzer (hamstring strain), Phumzile Maqondwana coming in at blindside flank to take over the captaincy from injured skipper Willie Engelbrecht (rib injury), with Kwanda Dimaza coming in at No.8 and Khwezi Mafu dropping down to the bench.

Lock Shane Kirkwood is also out injured and Malembe Mpofu starts in the No.4 jersey.

Back-up flyhalf Eddie Fouche is struggling with a knee injury and Andries Viljoen takes his place on the replacement bench.

There is just one other change, Lucky Dlepu starting at scrumhalf in place of Giovan Snyman - who drops down to the bench.

Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Tapiwa Mafura, 13 Sebastian de Klerk, 12 Aliqhayiya Mgijima, 11 Lundi Msenge, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Lucky Dlepu, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Phumzile Maqondwana (captain), 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Corne Fourie, 1 Ruan Kramer.

Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Simon Raw, 19 Brandon Valentyne, 20 Khwezi Mafu, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Alwayno Visagie, 23 Andries Viljoen.

Date: Wednesday, January 19

Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Kick-off: 15.30 (13.30 GMT)

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron

Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper, Local

TMO: AJ Jacobs