Toyota Challenge – Pumas vs USA Falcons – ARN Guide

The USA will play their final warm-up match for next month’s World Cup Qualifiers when they take on the Pumas in their second Toyota Challenge match in Bloemfontein on Friday. They will do so under the Falcons banner, though much of the match day 23 is expected to be named in the senior Eagles squad for the Repechage tournament.

Last week’s match against the Cheetahs started well with a three-point halftime lead, but a poor second half saw the Falcons falling by 53-25. Gary Gold will take the opportunity to look at every member of his traveling squad by naming a starting lineup that shows 13 changes.

Bryce Campbell and Mitch Wilson are the only player retained, though both shift positions. ATL duo Ryan Rees and Duncan van Schalkwyk are the new halfback combination, with Tavite Lopeti partnering Campbell in the midfield. Austin pair Conner Mooneyham and Chris Mattina are named on the wings.

New York’s Chance Wenglewski and Kaleb Geiger team up with Utah’s Angus MacLellan in the front row. Siaosi Mahoni and Cam Dolan are at lock, with Ben Bonasso, Moni Tonga’uiha, and Michael de Waal the loose forward trio. A 6/2 split on the bench includes Nathan Sylvia, who is asked to cover tighthead prop after playing loosehead for most of his professional career.

The Pumas won this year’s Currie Cup and while they do not feature any Springboks, there are six players in the 23 who have represented South Africa at u20 level. Most notable are former Gloucester prop Corné Fourie, and ex-Bulls pair Jaco Labuschagne and Tinus de Beer. The latter wears No10 and acts as both captain and goal kicker.

Kickoff is set for 5pm local time, 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. A live broadcast will be available on FloRugby in the USA. It’s unclear if alternative streaming options will be offered elsewhere.

PUMAS
1 Corné Fourie, 2 Jacques Momberg, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 5 Shane Kirkwood, 6 Jaco Labuschagne, 7 Kwanda Dimaza, 8 André Fouché, 9 Chriswill September, 10 Tinus de Beer (capt.), 11 Lundi Msenge, 12 Ali Mgijima, 13 Diego Appollis, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 15 Devon Williams

Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Etienne Janeke, 18 Njabulo Gumede, 19 Jeandré Leonard, 20 Llewellyn Classen, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Wian van Niekerk, 23 Sihle Njezula

USA FALCONS
1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Kaleb Geiger, 3 Angus MacLellan, 4 Siaosi Mahoni, 5 Cam Dolan, 6 Benjamín Bonasso, 7 Moni Tonga’uiha, 8 Michael de Waal, 9 Ryan Rees, 10 Duncan van Schalkwyk, 11 Conner Mooneyham, 12 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 13 Tavite Lopeti, 14 Chris Mattina, 15 Mitch Wilson

Replacements: 16 Dylan Fawsitt, 17 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 18 Nathan Sylvia, 19 Keni Nasoqeqe, 20 Cory Daniel, 21 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, 22 Nate Augspurger, 23 Paul Lasike

Date: Friday, October 21
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kickoff: 17:00 local (08:00 Pacific, 11:00 Eastern)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistants: Dylan November (South Africa) & Darren Colby (South Africa)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Broadcasts: FloRugby