Jaco Taute
Jaco Taute will make his first Absa Currie Cup start in DHL Western Province colours, after being named at inside centre for Saturday’s meeting with the Vodacom Blue Bulls in Pretoria (kick-off 17:05 SA Time).
Springbok Taute replaces the injured Michael van der Spuy (hamstring) in the No 12 shirt in the only change to the DHL WP starting XV from last weekend’s 27-14 win over the Golden Lions.
Former SA Under 20 star Pat Howard, a Round One try-scorer against the EP Kings, replaces Taute on the bench – meaning just two changes overall to the Province 22 from last week.
Taute scored a valuable try off the bench last week after replacing Van der Spuy in the 59th minute and his experience will be a major boon for the unbeaten and table-topping DHL Western Province outfit ahead of Saturday’s clash at Loftus Versfeld.
DHL WP coach Allister Coetzee told www.wprugby.com: “This is a great opportunity for Jaco. I’ve said before that his size and skill-set could make him into the ideal centre and he now has an opportunity to show us just that.
“Jaco is still very young (at 23 years of age) but he’s already very experienced having played Test and Super Rugby at centre before.
“But his skill and strength aside, his communication is his biggest attribute and I look forward to seeing him operate in the No 12 jersey.
“Your depth is tested quite severely during the Absa Currie Cup,” added Coetzee, “so having versatile players like Jaco (in our squad) is a good thing – especially ahead of a big game like Saturday.”
The Bulls picked up a welcome 30-25 win over the EP Kings last weekend and will be determined to make it back-to-back victories in front of their home support as they also look to avenge their Round 2 defeat to DHL WP in Cape Town two weeks ago.
“We will respect any team we play against and it doesn’t get much bigger than playing against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld – no matter what happened last time between us,” said Coetzee.
“The Bulls did well to beat the EP Kings. Don’t look at the scoreline, they’ve come off a difficult few weeks and it was a big and valuable win for them.”
DHL WP: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (Captain), 12 Jaco Taute (1st ABSA Currie Cup start for WP), 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Pat Cilliers (Vice-captain), 2 Stephan Coetzee, 1 Alistair Vermaak
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Ruan Botha, 19 Rynhardt Elstadt, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Pat Howard.
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant Referees: Rasta Rasivhenge, Cobus Wessels
TMO: Willie Vos
Thank goodness we are only playing against the Bulls….
Taute can move back to the bench when we face the decent sides.
I shall be there with my Stormers jersey on (I know) abusing all and sundry wearing pink or blue.
Stormersboy wrote:
I will be next to you…..don’t want to say “I will have your back” lest we be accused of typical Brokie behavior
@ Stormersboy:
@ nortierd:
You guys can go and meet the players at Café 41 directly after the match – the one on the corner of Eastwood and Pretorius Street in Arcadia.
Seems they do not expect to be too tired after the outing at Loftus 🙂
4 @ robzim:
Yep, but the Cafe 41 requires tickets.
Saw the mails from the Supporters Club, seems like they are arranging quite a nice “meet & greet”
@ nortierd:
All right, I saw it on the official WP site and you are right, they do take bookings. There seem to be quite a large stormer/wp support base in pretoria..even larger than the Capesaders I believe 🙂
@ robzim:
Huge
It’s run by Julian Rod, a feisty character who really puts in a lot of time and effort and is doing a great job
nortierd wrote:
Is he the guy who wrote that email to Rob Wagner and Thelo “this buffet is refillable, right?” Wakefield?
@ Stormersboy:
Lol, he has been in trouble with them a couple of times, doesn’t stop him from calling a spade a shovel though.
@ Stormersboy:
But no, wasn’t him, that guy forwarded their reply to Julian.
He has been in more trouble with them in the past than that bloke 😀
Stormersboy wrote:
Just steer clear from the East Stand! Last time I wore WP colours there I got pelted with a can of Coke, hit me between the eyes, still carry the scar from 14 stitches…..
Those Iscor aunties didn’t really like the idea of a mountain disa mixing with their beloved Barberton daisies way back then…
WP won 9-3, three penalties from Calla’s white boot, and that really pissed them off, those boots…
Pietman wrote:
lol yes, those were the bad old days, these days it’s poppies with pink streaks in their hair and jeans tucked into boots. It’s like a uniform.
The heydays of the Calla Scholtz’s and such will always be my immediate association when I think of WP Rugby.
School uniform to get in cheaper, Willie Dup picking a fight with Rudi Visagie (what was he thinking) when he was playing for (I think) Eastern Transvaal back in the day.
Morne and Divan, Robbie Blair and co.
The best of times…..
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