Springbok centre Juan de Jongh has been drafted straight back into the DHL Western Province starting line-up for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup meeting with GWK Griquas in Kimberley (kick-off 15:00).
De Jongh, who was released from the Bok squad at the weekend, replaces Pat Howard in the No.13 jersey, the latter dropping out with a slight hamstring strain.
In one other injury-related change in the backline from Saturday’s 15-14 win over the FS Cheetahs, Gary van Aswegen (shoulder) has not been passed fit, with Kurt Coleman taking over at flyhalf in what will be his first Absa Currie Cup start.
Coleman, however, has 29 DHL WP caps, at Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup level, and has also made six Super Rugby appearances for the DHL Stormers since 2011.
In a final change to the WP starting XV this week, Springbok prop Pat Cilliers will make his first start for the Cape side, after two appearances off the bench, with recent centurion Brok Harris reverting to the bench.
And joining Harris on the bench in Kimberley will be WP Under-21 flyhalf Tim Swiel, one of four U21 players in this weekend’s matchday squad. Swiel will make his senior Currie Cup debut for Province should he take the field on Saturday.
“We know it’s going to be one massive battle (in Kimberley),” DHL WP coach Allister Coetzee said.
“We’ve got to keep our approach the same. It’s got to be physical and direct. It’s going to be a battle at the gainline, so it’s important that we get dominance and earn the right to take it wide. For us it’s about building momentum and not letting slip the things that we’ve improved on last week. That’s what consistency is about and that’s what you need in this competition whether you’re (at) home or away from home.”
DHL Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Kurt Coleman (First Absa Currie Cup start for DHL Western Province), 9 Louis Schreuder (vice-captain), 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Deon Fourie (Captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers (First Absa Currie Cup start for DHL Western Province), 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Gerbrandt Grobler, 19 Rohan Kitshoff, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Tim Swiel (On Absa Currie Cup debut for DHL Western Province), 22 Ryan Nell.
Referee: Sindile Mayende