The Pumas and Tafel Lager Griquas teams to play in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge final on Sunday have been announced.

The match will be played at 14:30 at the Transnet Saldanha Stadium, Saldanha Bay.

There is only one change from the Pumas match 22 that beat the Boland Cavaliers 57-32 last Sunday. The Pumas will have an extra forward on the bench as Hilton Lobberts replaces JP Lewis.

The Pumas are unbeaten in 19 consecutive SuperSport Challenge matches, 11 in 2018 and eight this season. Their last Challenge defeat was against the Xerox Golden Lions in the quarter-final at Emirates Airline Park on July 1, 2017.

Griquas suffered only one defeat this campaign, 50-25 against the Pumas at Nelspruit Rugby Club on May 25.

In the run-up to the final, Griquas scored 43 tries and conceded 28 in eight matches. The Pumas have scored 59 tries and conceded 24.

With both sides boasting a massive pack of experienced forwards, a titanic battle is expected in the set pieces. The team that wins and retains quality possession will have the advantage.

Both backlines are full of running and a try fest can be expected.

The war between the fly halves will be closely watched by the respective fans. The wily and vastly experienced George Whitehead from Griquas will be up against the fast-thinking boot of Chris Smith. Tactical kicking will be key to both teams’ game plan, particularly as the game progresses and, as fit as they are, the players tire.

The match will be broadcast live on SuperSport 1 and SuperSport 10.

• De-Jay Terblanche will become the most capped prop in first-class rugby in South Africa when he takes to the field against Griquas in the final at Saldanha Stadium on Sunday.

He will play his 192nd match for the Pumas. The previous record of 191 was held by Connie Botha who propped up the South Western Districts scrum from 1993 to 2011.

Terblanche also holds the record as the most capped Pumas player ever. He overtook Francois Rossouw’s record of 183 games (1991 to 2000), at Mbombela Stadium when the Pumas played the Blue Bulls on June 30 last year.

The front rower made his debut for the Pumas against the EP Kings on June 27, 2008 at the Johann van Riebeeck Stadium in Emlalahleni. He came on as a replacement and scored a try.

Terblanche will celebrate his 34th birthday on Tuesday.

Pumas
1. Andrew Beerwinkel; 2. Corniel Els; 3. Marné Coetzee; 4. Stefan Willemse; 5. Cameron Lindsay; 6. Jeandré Rudolph; 7. Phumzile Maqondwana; 8. Willie Engelbrecht; 9. Reynier van Rooyen; 10. Chris Smith; 11. Ruwellyn Isbell; 12. Ryan Nell (c); 13. Neil Maritz; 14. Morné Joubert; 15. Devon Williams; 16. Marko Janse van Rensburg; 17. De-Jay Terblanche; 18. Carel du Preez; 19. Marco Palvie; 20. Hilton Lobberts 21. Ashlon Davids; 22. Henko Marais.

Griquas

1. Khwezi Mona; 2. AJ Le Roux; 3. Ewald van der Westhuizen; 4. Ian Groenewald; 5. Victor Sekekete; 6. Gideon van der Merwe; 7. Sias Koen (vc); 8. Will Wilson; 9. Zak Burger, 10. George Whitehead (c); 11. Enver Brandt; 12. Andre Swarts; 13. Michal Haznar; 14. Ederies Arendse; 15. Anthonie Volmink; 16. Khwezi Mkhafo; 17. NJ Oosthuizen; 18. Johan Momsen; 19. Conway Pretorius; 20. Chriswill September; 21. Tinus de Beer; 22. Eduan Keyter.