Casper the friendly captain

Casper the friendly captain

19 Jul 2006

Veteran fullback Casper Steyn has been named to lead the Pumas against the Vodacom Cheetahs on Saturday.

The Absa Currie Cup match is being played in Bloemfontein and Steyn is wary of a backlash from the home team after their shock defeat to Western Province last weekend.

“We actually don’t like Western Province at the moment. They are doing us no favours,” Steyn jokingly told keo.co.za. “First they beat the Blue Bulls who then took it out on us last weekend (the Pumas lost 48-17) and now they go and do the same to the Cheetahs and piss them off.”

The Pumas scored a double victory over the Cheetahs in 2004, but last year suffered an ignominious 50-3 defeat in Bloemfontein. Some critics would not be surprised if it was repeated.

Usual captain Riaan van der Merwe is still in the team, after he was originally supposed to be rested. “Coach named me as captain and then they decided that because of injuries we needed Riaan to play. I expect to be captain for this match only.”

The Pumas are targeting next weeks’ home match against close neighbours, the Valke, and were hoping to give van der Merwe a rest. “It all depends on the injuries as the coach really wants him fit and rested for next week.”

Coach Chris Grobler has made two changes and a positional switch for the match. Sacha Marot moves from right wing to outside centre with Sam Gerber dropping to the bench. His place is in the No 14 jersey goes to Lourens Dunn.

Flyhalf Pieter Benade is also dropped and Arno Coetzee gets his chance in the No 10 jersey.

Pumas team to play Cheetahs:

15 Casper Steyn (captain), 14 Lourens Dunn, 13 Sacha Marot, 12 Hendrik Meyer, 11 Hyron Thyse, 10 Arno Coetzee, 9 Ashieq Wise; 8 Riaan van der Merwe, 7 Danzel Manuel, 6 Jonathan van der Schyff, 5 Jacques Lombaard, 4 Bokkie Swanepoel, 3 Pierre du Toit, 2 Ashton Constant, 1 Jacques Muller.
Replacements: 16 Frikkie de Jager, 17 Simon-Peter Blakeley, 18 Stephan Gerber, 19 Corne Steenkamp/ Paul Schreuder, 20 Pieter Benade, 21 BC Du Plessis, 22 Sam Gerber.

By Andrew Hollely


35 Comments

  • 1.Staal: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:18 pm

    Casper is a dragon.

  • 2.klippies: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:18 pm

    which province are the pumas from

  • 3.Staal: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:20 pm

    pumaland.

  • 4.Andrew: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:21 pm

    m-PUMA-langa

  • 5.Reinhardt: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:21 pm

    mPUMAlanga…

  • 6.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:22 pm

    Casper

    We dont like Problems either…

  • 7.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:22 pm

    Gerber has no gas so no loss. Won’t be enough though… Cheetahs to show Pumas who the big cats are!

  • 8.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:22 pm

    Free state

  • 9.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:23 pm

    Pumas are the Bulls Amateur side.

  • 10.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:23 pm

    No actually, I think that’s the Boks.

  • 11.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:24 pm

    haha Quiny

  • 12.eloise: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:25 pm

    Pumas from zimbabwe

  • 13.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:27 pm

    Pumas are from Argentina dumbasses!

  • 14.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:27 pm

    lol, imagine a team from Zim! Even the non-existant Spears would get 100 on the board against them…not to mention the Kitty Cats!

  • 15.eloise: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:30 pm

    supa post 13 is an overstatement…imagine how much would have been expected of this team had they been from argentina …..

  • 16.eloise: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:30 pm

    is Casper the friendly Ghost?

  • 17.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:33 pm

    Casper is everywhere.

  • 18.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:34 pm

    Casper the “over the hill” ghost

  • 19.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:34 pm

    Casper de Vries playing for the pumas???

  • 20.eloise: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:35 pm

    hope the ghost turns up for the match!

  • 21.eloise: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:37 pm

    yip one of Naas’s personal recruits….Casper die Rasper!!! wonder if they are to involve Leon Schuster with the game plan..

  • 22.Murph: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:38 pm

    .
    .
    .
    .
    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 23.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:38 pm

    well the Pumas are a bit of a joke…

  • 24.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:39 pm

    I wonder how much it costs to drag the Bulls players out of retirement these days…”one last shot of glory with the Pumas”?

  • 25.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:40 pm

    Jacobel van der Westhuysen for Pumas flyhalf!

  • 26.eloise: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:43 pm

    quinny Jake moet maar vir jaco sy biere laat haal uit die yskas sondae na lunch!

  • 27.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:45 pm

    eloise, do u think Jake will trust Jacoba to do that? Jacoba will probably drop & break the beers…
    “Ag sorrie man Jake, I was trying to drop-kick da beers to you…”

  • 28.Simon: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:49 pm

    According to their official name, the Pumas are from the @tlantic

  • 29.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:49 pm

    La-di-da, it’s just you & me eloise…where is everyone?

  • 30.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:50 pm

    Should send them to the Atlantic. Does anyone actually support the Pumas?

  • 31.klippies: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:52 pm

    iam confused are the pumas the eastern province side the team with the black and red jersey

  • 32.Quinnyshark: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 14:56 pm

    No, it’s an ugly grey colour with blue & red stripe type things on it. UGLY. But perfect as the Bulls veterans jersey.

  • 33.eloise: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 15:17 pm

    klippies I dont think elephants & pumas mingle..

  • 34.Rev. Jim Jones: Reply to this comment
    19 Jul 2006, 15:54 pm

    Worst. Headline. Ever.

  • 35.Koos: Reply to this comment
    20 Jul 2006, 00:51 am

    Glad I could help out Andrew…!

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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