DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has made four changes to his team for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup meeting with the MTN Golden Lions at DHL Newlands (kick-off 14h00).
Halfbacks Louis Schreuder and Demetri Catrakilis will start in the backline, whilst fit-again flanker Rynhardt Elstadt returns at No.7, which sees Michael Rhodes shift back into the second row where he began the Absa Currie Cup season.
Schreuder and Catrakilis come in for Nic Groom and Kurt Coleman, respectively, with Rhodes replacing youngster Tazz Fuzani in the No.4 jersey. Scrumhalf Groom and flyhalf Coleman will warm the bench this week, but lock Fuzani drops out altogether with loose forwards Schalk Burger and Josh Katzen continuing amongst the replacements.
Burger last week made his return to action after almost 18 months on the sidelines with a series of injuries. Burger’s 20-minute impact in Bloemfontein – as DHL WP won 29-27 – was plain to see and he could now make his first appearance at DHL Newlands since February 2012, whilst WP Under-21 skipper Katzen looks to win his third senior cap in as many weeks.
In two changes to the bench from last week, prop Frans Malherbe could make his first Currie Cup appearance of the season – having recovered fully from a long-term ankle injury – whilst Ryan Nell joins the bench as a backline replacement as WP revert to a regular four/three (forwards/backs) split.
Province, the defending champions, remain the only unbeaten team in the 2013 Absa Currie Cup. A victory over the Lions will see them secure a home semifinal – a week before the end of the league phase of the tournament.
“We’re playing for a home semifinal this weekend, so it’s important that we get it right and play with more accuracy and not just in spurts,” DHL WP coach Coetzee said.
“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,” he added.
“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 lost only once this year (in both Super Rugby and the Currie Cup) and we want to ensure we keep it that way.”
The DHL WP v Lions match will get underway at 14:00.
There will also be two early-morning curtain-raisers at DHL Newlands – the WP Under-19s will be in action against the Lions U19s in a crucial clash at 09:45 and the table-topping WP Under-21s will take on the Lions U21s at 11:45.
Match tickets for Saturday 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.
Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Michael van der Spuy, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Deon Fourie (Captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Frans Malherbe, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Schalk Burger, 19 Josh Katzen, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Kurt Coleman. 22 Ryan Nell.