The Leopards will be eager to continue their winning streak in this year’s Currie Cup First Division when they travel to Brakpan to face the Valke on Friday, 2 July.
The Leopards have made six changes from their opening 50–29 victory against Eastern Province. The most notable change was the captain, Siya Mdaka, who is injured. The fly-half, Danrich Visagie, will captain the side in his absence.
Tjaart Benade, Charl Pretorius, Warren Williams, Duren Hoffman and Ruan Groenewald will also miss out. The front row for the Leopards will consist of Komape Moloto, Robey Leibrandt and Ruan “Sampie” Swiegers.
Leibrandt has been in brilliant form for the Leopards and will want to continue that against his former team. Expect the locks, Malembe Mpofu and Vincent Maruping to also have a say in Friday’s encounter in Brakpan. Victor Maruping, Heinz Bertram and André Fouché will form a solid loose trio. Riaan Genis will start at scrum-half with Eugene Hare and Alistair Mumba occupying the wings.
Former Valke centre, Andries Truter, will also go up against his former teammates and would like nothing more than a victory.
Lincoln Daniels and Chuiner van Rooyen also come into the team to add attacking flair. Chris Vermaak and Sylvester Hassien from the NWU Varsity Cup squad have also been drafted into the team and will serve as impact players from the bench. The Leopards did not play last weekend as SWD withdrew due to a Covid-19 outbreak in their squad.
The match against the Valke will be the third of the competition for the Leopards.
Leopards team to face the Valke: 1. Komape Moloto, 2. Robey Leibrandt, 3. Ruan Swiegers, 4. Malembe Mpofu, 5. Vincent Maruping, 6. Victor Maruping, 7. Heinz Bertram, 8. André Fouche (vc), 9. Riaan Genis, 10. Danrich Visagie – (C) 11. Alistair Mumba, 12. Andries Truter, 13. Lincoln Daniels, 14. Eugene Hare and 15. Chuiner van Rooyen. Reserves: 16. Hanno Snyman, 17. Ruben Du Plessis, 18. Keanu Prinsloo, 19. George van der Westhuizen, 20. Chris Vermaak, 21. Sylvester Hassien, 22. Keagan Fortune and 23. André Grobler
