This 2021 Kick-Off Pools match at the Mbombela Stadium, where Rasta Rasivhenge is the man in the middle, kicks off at 19h00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

In the backline, Morne Joubert and Tapiwa Mafura are the starting wings as Luther Obi and Ettiene Taljaard both sit out this encounter.

There is also a new midfield combination comprising of Sebastian de Klerk and Ali Mgjima, in place of Alwayno Visagie and Wayne van der Bank.

Meanwhile, Neil Marais replaces Eddie Fouché at flyhalf and Chriswil September takes over the No 9 jersey from Giovan Snyman to form a fresh halfback combination.

The starting loose trio to face the men from Pretoria are Francois Kleinhans, Kwanda Dimaza and Phumzile Maqondwana, replacing Willie Engelbrecht, Eward Potgieter and Daniel Maartens.

There is also a tweak in the front row, with AJ le Roux coming in for Simon Westraadt at hooker. Big lock Le Roux Roets, who was on the bench last week, has joined the Cell C Sharks on a permanent deal.

The Lowvelders lost an entertaining match 32-28 to the Lions two weekends ago during the opening weekend of the warm-up series, however, they got the better of a less experienced Vodacom Bulls outfit when the two sides met earlier this year at the Mbombela Stadium.

New Nation Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Morne Joubert, 13 Sebastian de Klerk, 12 Ali Mgjima, 11 Tapiwa Mafura, 10 Neil Marais, 9 Chriswil September, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Phumzile Maqondwana, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Pieter Janse van Vuuren (captain), 4 Brandon Valentyn, 3 Ig Prinsloo, 2 AJ le Roux, 1 Morgan Naudé. Replacements: 16 HP van Schoor, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Ruan Kramer, 19 Michael Benadie, 20 Dian Badenhorst, 21 Eddie Fouché, 22 Erich Cronje, 23 Darrien Landsberg.