Botes, a former star flyhalf for Helpmekaar College who featured in the Guinness PRO14 for the Southern Kings earlier this year, will start the match in a new halfback pairing with Chriswill September after having to watch from the replacements bench last week as the team ground out a 22-17 victory against Tafel Lager Griquas.
Kleinhans (fullback) makes the step up to the Carling Currie Cup after running out for the Lowvelders’ in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge and playing in a promotion-relegation match previously.
The inclusion of Botes and September in place of Devon Williams and Ginter Smuts respectively were among five changes to coach Jimmy Stonehouse’s team for the match that will be broadcast live on SuperSport at 19h00.
Williams and Smuts have been named on the bench and will be tasked to lift the tempo later in the match.
The other three changes include a positional switch in the pack, with Darrien Landsberg moving from lock to flanker as regular captain Pieter Jansen van Vuren returns from injury, while Morgan Naude (prop) takes over from Dewald Maritz in the front row.
At the back, the experienced Ruwellyn Isbell replaces Etienne Taljaard on the left wing.
Phakisa Pumas: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Luther Obi, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Ruwellyn Isbell, 10 Tiaan Botes, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Darrien Landsberg, 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Pieter Jansen van Vuren (captain), 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Morgan Naude. Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Wikus Groenewald, 18 Brandon Valentyn, 19 Ewart Potgieter, 20 Ginter Smuts, 21 Devon Williams, 22 Japie Kleinhans, 23 Liam Hendricks.
Match information – DHL Western Province v Phakisa Pumas
Date: Friday, 11 December 2020
Time: 19h00
Venue: DHL Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Paul Mente
Assistant Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron and Egon Seconds
TMO: Joey Klaaste-Salmans
TV: SuperSport Grandstand and Rugby
