DHL Western Province will be boosted with 3 key players returning to the training squad this week after injury lay-offs.

According to official Western province Rugby Website www.wprugby.com, tighthead prop Frans Malherbe (ankle), flanker Rynhardt Elstadt (shoulder) and flyhalf Gary van Aswegen (knee) all rejoined training on Monday, whilst fit-again flanker Schalk Burger came through his comeback match unscathed.

“It’s great timing for us to come through a match injury-free and to welcome back three players in Frans Malherbe, Rynhardt Elstadt and Gary van Aswegen,” said DHL WP coach Allister Coetzee on Monday.

“This is the part of the season that you want your best players and best combinations to play. There’s no more time for rotation – you have to have a settled team.”

WP recorded their sixth win of the season this past Friday – to go with two draws – as they scored a dramatic 29-27 win over the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

“We’re not going to wrap Schalk in cotton wool – we’re going to go all out with him,” said Coetzee about Burger, who got twenty minutes at the Free State Stadium.

“I believe in his ability and he showed on Friday that despite his long lay-off, he can play at the required intensity for 20 minutes. He huffed and puffed at the end of the game, but he came through well – that was important for him and us.

“We know it’s important to manage him, but if we never play him or play him for only 20 minutes, he’s never going to get back to full match fitness. Our thinking with Schalk is sooner rather than later.”

Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis also made a big impact from the bench last weekend, his 78th-minute drop-goal – to go with an earlier conversion and penalty goal – helping the defending champs to a crucial away victory. Catrakilis, of course, only recently made his return to action after regaining full fitness from a shoulder injury.

“Demetri is completely over his injury, therefore he could come off the bench and perform like he did. He’s been out for a very long time but since he’s been in the 22 he’s been running with the team more often and has settled in nicely,” said the DHL WP boss.

“He’s put his hand up, so we’ll look at the Lions and what we’ll be faced with, but I have a fairly good idea of my selections already.”

Looking ahead to the weekend, and the challenge of facing an exciting Lions team at home, Coetzee continued: “The Lions have a helluva attacking mindset. You have to look after your ball because if you don’t respect it, you won’t see it for quite some time.

“We had an opportunity earlier this season to come away from Ellis Park with maximum points. Unfortunately we didn’t, but we’re back at DHL Newlands this weekend where we’ve only lost once this year (in both Super Rugby and Currie Cup) and we want to ensure we keep it that way.”

The DHL WP side, to take on the Lions, will be announced at lunch-time on Wednesday.