The Airlink Pumas and the Toyota Cheetahs will face each other in a vital SA Cup clash at Mbombela Stadium at 19:00 on Friday, March 21.

The Cheetahs will come to Mbombela with the aim of moving into the top four on the log, and getting one over their bitter rivals, the Pumas. The home team need to take their 2025 SA Cup record to played three – won three, to strengthen their chances of a semi-final place and qualification for the Currie Cup.

Airlink Pumas’ coach Jimmy Stonehouse has made one change to the starting 15 and one to the bench, from the team that defeated the Elephants on Saturday, March 15. Etienne Janeke comes into the matchday squad and will start at loose-head prop, with Dewald Maritz warming the bench in place of Stephan de Jager.

Toyota Cheetahs’ coach Frans Steyn made a few of changes from last week’s match against the Leopards. Victor Sekekete returns to his regular position at number 5 and Pieter Janse van Vuren will provide cover on the bench. Neels Volschenk moves to flank. Jeandré Rudolph will wear the number 8 jersey with Daniel Maartens on the bench. The wings are Litha Nkula and Michael Annies. Ali Mgijima and Jooste Nel switch places, with Mgijima starting on inside centre. Franky Dos Reis, Sesonke Vumazonke and Rewan Kruger are new to the bench.

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After two rounds of the SA Cup, three teams are deadlocked on 10 log points. On points differential, the Suzuki Griquas top the log, the Airlink Pumas are second and the NovaVit Griffons third.

The Pumas have scored 20 and conceded four tries in their first two 2025 SA Cup matches. But the impressive points difference and second place on the log will count for nothing in the stern test they will face against the Cheetahs at Mbombela Stadium.

The Cheetahs got off to a poor start in the competition, going down 45-29 to the Boland Kavaliers in Wellington in a less than impressive effort. Debutant coach Frans Steyn admitted that he and the team had only themselves to blame for the defeat and this would not happen again. The Bloemfontein coach was true to his word and his charges annihilated the Leopards 69-0 at home last weekend.

The Toyota Cheetahs team that will run onto the Mbombela pitch tomorrow night will be even more finely tuned.

Coming off two easy victories, the Pumas will be under pressure from the Cheetahs – something they have not experienced this season yet.

The Pumas will be playing at home in front of their faithful fans, but will be facing, by far, their sternest test the season. Pressure is a game changer, and the team that handles it the best and ensures unforced errors and poor decision-making don’t creep into their game, will win this one.

Kick-off is at 19:00.

Airlink Pumas
15 – Jaycee Nel
14 – Stefan Coetzee
13 – Sango Xamlashe
12 – Wian van Niekerk
11 – Darren Adonis
10 – Clinton Swart (c)
9 – Ross Braude
8 – Kwanda Dimaza
7 – Ruwald van der Merwe
6 – Ntsika Fisanti
5 – Tiaan de Klerk
4 – Jeandré Leonard
3 – Sampie Swiegers
2 – Jan-Henning Campher
1 – Etiene Janeke.

16 -Llewellyn Claasen
17 – Dewald Maritz
18 – Eduan Swart
19 – Hanno Theunissen
20 – André Fouche
21 – Conor van Eden
22 – Danrich Visagie
23 – Lundi Msenge.

Toyota Cheetahs
15 – Cohen Jasper
14 – Michael Annies
13 – Raegan Oranje
12 – Ali Mgijima
11 – Litha Nkula
10 – George Lourens
9 – Jandré Nel
8 – Jeandré Rudolph
7 – Pierre Uys
6 – Neels Volschenk
5 – Victor Sekekete
4 – Carl Wegner
3 – Aranos Coetzee
2 – Louis van der Westhuizen (c)
1 – Hencus van Wyk

16 – Vernon Paulo
17 – Matome Manyama
18 – Frankie Dos Reis
19 – Pieter Janse van Vuren
20 – Daniel Maartens
21 – Sesonke Vumazonke
22 – Rewan Kruger
23 – Jooste Nel.

Referee – Stephan Geldenhuys

• The Airlink Pumas won their first away SA Cup match of the season, thrashing the EP Elephants 61-22 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.
The Pumas led 33-10 at half-time.
Their speed and precision on attack had the Eastern Cape team on the ropes from early in the match. The visitors outscored the Elephants by nine tries to three, which included a penalty try.
Scrum half Ross Braude scored a hat-trick of tries and captain and fly half Clinton Swart kicked five conversions.
The Pumas dominated the set pieces and were always in control of the game. As a unit, the Mpumalanga side were simply faster and more polished than their opponents. They set the pace of the game and the Elephants could not match this or the intensity of the Pumas’ execution.