In the first week of discussion of Super Rugby squad contenders for 2014 (23 to 29 December), we will discuss 2 positions in seperate Articles (Props & Hookers) and also seperate the Articles of the 5 SA Super Rugby participating franchises.

That means 10 Super Rugby Articles every week from now on.

The basic idea is to discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.

In this Article we look at the contenders for PROPS in the DHL Stormers 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.

The Contenders:

Name: Steven Kitshoff:

Position Prop Height 1.83 Weight 120 Date of Birth February 10 1992 Place of Birth Somerset West Provincial Debut 2011 Provincial Caps 32 Provincial Points 5 Super Rugby Debut 2011 Super Rugby Caps 35 Super Rugby Points 0 Test Debut Test Caps 0 Test Points 0

Kitshoff was a member of the Junior Springboks Under 20 team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship. In addition, Kitshoff was part of the Western Province team that won the 2012 Currie Cup as well as the premier loosehead prop for the Stormers in Super Rugby and Currie Cup in 2013 .

Kitshoff attended Hendrik Louw Primary School and Paul Roos Gymnasium.

Kitshoff came onto the rugby scene as a very young talent. 2013 Was however not his best season, as he seemed to fade away towards the end of the season.

Kitshoff is still young and a good season in 2014 could see him cause some selection debates for the Springboks. Kitshoff and Brok Harris are the only recognized looseheads in the squad and he can use this to his advantage should he remain injury free for the whole season and regains the form he displayed before the 2013 season.

Name: Jozua Francois “Frans” Malherbe:

Position Prop Height 1.90 Weight 124 kg Date of Birth March 14 1991 Place of Birth Somerset West Provincial Debut 2011 Provincial Caps 33 Provincial Points 0 Super Rugby Debut 2011 Super Rugby Caps 32 Super Rugby Points 0 Test Debut 2013 v Wales Test Caps 2 Test Points 0

Malherbe made both his senior Western Province and Stormers debuts in 2011, however it was the following year when he fully cemented his place in both sides. He played in every Stormers match during the 2012 Super Rugby season and only missed one match in Western Province’s successful 2012 Currie Cup Premier Division campaign when he provided injury cover for South Africa squad on their tour of Australasia. He was a starter as Province upset the Natal Sharks 25-18 in Durban to become a Currie Cup winner at the age of 21.

2013 Saw his reputation grow and he retained his position as the Stormers first-choice tighthead ahead of the more experienced Patric Cilliers who had joined the franchise from the Lions. He made 11 appearances during the 2013 Super Rugby season before an injury ended his campaign and forced him to miss the majority of the 2013 Currie Cup season. He made his comeback towards the back end of the campaign making 4 appearances from the bench and helping Province reach their second successive Currie Cup final.

Malherbe had been involved in several South Africa squads since the appointment of Heyneke Meyer as head coach in 2012 without making any appearances. An injury to Jannie du Plessis meant he finally made his Test debut on 9 November 2013 against Wales in Cardiff. He aquitted himself well despite facing the hugely experienced Gethin Jenkins on the other side of the scrum. He retained his place for the following week’s match against Scotland in Edinburgh, however an injury just before halftime saw him withdrawn and his tour ended prematurely. To date he has 2 Test caps to his name.

He has the chance in 2014 to cement his place as the regular tighthead for the Springboks, should he stay injury free.

Name: Patrick Cilliers:

Position Prop Height 1.86 Weight 113 kg Date of Birth March 3 1987 Place of Birth Pietermaritzburg Provincial Debut 2007 Provincial Caps 83 Provincial Points 60 Super Rugby Debut 2007 Super Rugby Caps 44 Super Rugby Points 5 Test Debut 2012 Test Caps 6 Test Points 0

Patric Michael Cilliers, born 3 March 1987 in Pietermaritzburg, joined the Stormers in 2013 for the Super Rugby competition and also played internationally for South Africa as a prop.

Cilliers began his professional career with the Sharks, but his time with the team was limited by knee injuries. He transferred with fellow Shark Michael Rhodes to the Lions at the end of the 2010 Currie Cup season. Cilliers was selected in the starting line-up for the Currie Cup final against the Sharks and scored a try in the memorable 42-16 victory.

He previously played for the Lions in the Super Rugby and the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup competition.

He made his debut for the Springboks on 18 August 2012 against Argentina.

Cilliers has been around the block with lots of experience and will most likely try to revive his chances of Springbok honours in 2014, with some solid performances. He is however competing for game time with Frans Malherbe at tighthead who is a current Springbok tighthead.

If Cilliers is given some game time he will most likely try to impress and get back into the regular starting 15.

Name: Juan “Brok” Harris:

Position Prop Height 1.83 Weight 118 Date of Birth February 22 1985 Place of Birth Roodepoort Provincial Debut 2006 Provincial Caps 109 Provincial Points 70 Super Rugby Debut 2007 Super Rugby Caps 84 Super Rugby Points 10 Test Debut Test Caps 0 Test Points 0

He matriculated from Hoërskool Bastion in Krugersdorp, after which he attended Potchefstroom University. He plays as a loosehead prop for the Stormers in Super Rugby and Western Province in the Currie Cup.

Harris has been with the Stormers for quite some time. He is currently the most capped of all the props at the Stormers. He has to compete with Steven Kitshoff for the loosehead berth.

He is always willing and tries very hard to get into the game quickly.

Starters:

The Stormers will start with Steven Kitshoff at loosehead and with Frans malherbe at tighthead, but both Brok Harris and Patrick Cilliers will see regular game time off the bench. Who the 5th and next props are to step up to the plate will be revealed as the season unfolds, after Chris Heiberg and Deon Carstens have moved on.

The next Article in the range will deal with the Stormers hookers.