DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has announced his team for Friday evening’s Absa Currie Cup clash against GWK Griquas at DHL Newlands in Cape Town (kick-off 19:10).
Lock De Kock Steenkamp will again lead the WP side into battle, in the absence of injured skipper Deon Fourie, with coach Coetzee making just two changes from last weekend’s brave 29-18 win at Loftus Versfeld.
Rohan Kitshoff will start in the No.6 jersey – with Rynhardt Elstadt starting at No.7 – with the coach opting for a fetcher in his loose trio in the absence of Michael Rhodes who has been suspended for one match following last Saturday’s clash against the Blue Bulls.
WP Under-21 stars, Rayn Smid and captain Josh Katzen (both of whom are loose forwards), will sit on the bench this week with Province opting for a five/two split between forwards and backs, scrumhalf Louis Schreuder and fit-again flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis the two backs named amongst the replacements.
Flyhalf Gary van Aswegen, who was on the bench against the Bulls, is out for two weeks with a knee injury.
“The 2013 Absa Currie Cup competition is far from over,” said Coetzee.
“You don’t want to be remembered as the team that beat the Bulls in Pretoria and lost at home the next. This is a good Griquas side and you have to respect them – this is the best possible side we have selected (for this match).”
* Match tickets for Friday’s clash against Griquas at DHL Newlands (kick-off 19h10) can be purchased online, at wprugby.ticketpros.co.za, from Postnet Outlets or the Newlands Box Office.
Tickets are now also available at the following Western Cape SPAR stores: Old Oak SPAR, SPAR Philippi, SPAR Century & Plattekloof SUPERSPAR, with ALL Western Cape SPAR stores to follow over the next few weeks.
Ticket prices start at just R35 (for standing), with seating tickets priced from R65 to R95. Scholars tickets can be purchased directly from the WP Rugby offices.
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, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Rohan Kitshoff, 5 De Kock Steenkamp (Captain), 4 Taz Fuzani, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Gerbrandt Grobler, 19 Rayn Smid, 20 Josh Katzen, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Demetri Catrakilis
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe