Western Province are looking to call up the experience of JD Moller for what they anticipate will be a concerted Blue Bulls forward onslaught in Saturday’s key Absa Currie Cup match at Loftus.
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JC Kritzinger replaced Wicus Blaauw when the first-choice loosehead was forced from the field at the end of the first half of the 48-32 win over Griquas in Cape Town last Friday night.
But while Kritzinger played well in the second half, and played loosehead for the Stormers when Blaauw was injured earlier in the year, there is a feeling among the WP brains-trust that Moller is the man to start.
This is consistent with the line taken later on in the Super 15 season after Kritzinger had a brief spell on the sideline with injury. Moller, who at the start of the year was being retreaded into a tighthead and who seemed to be on the outer as far as the Stormers plans were concerned, got his chance when there were injuries on the overseas tour.
Moller had only played Vodacom Cup rugby up to that point, yet in a crucial match against the Blues he was called in as an emergency measure and he excelled. His remaining matches in the Super 15 were also sound, although Blaauw remained the first choice.
Moller has played a good few games for WP in the Currie Cup and looked to be re-establishing himself as the first choice loosehead up until when Blaauw was recalled a few weeks ago.
Blaauw turned in some outstanding performances and will be missed, but the WP management are not too unhappy at the prospect of having Moller back in the starting team, with Kritzinger, as they contended in the Super 14 season, better suited than he is to fill the role of impact player.
In the only other anticipated change to the starting team for the Bulls game, Adriaan Fondse will return at lock for De Kock Steenkamp, who made a full use of his opportunity to get much needed game-time against Griquas.
Fondse will have a crucial role to play against his old teammates as the Bulls look to be strengthening their pack for this week’s game, with Gurthro Steenkamp set to return after a couple of weeks break and Dewald Potgieter also possibly back in the mix.
Probable WP team: Conrad Jantjes, JJ Engelbrecht, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Gio Aplon, Willem de Waal, Dewaldt Duvenage, Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Pieter Louw, Anton van Zyl (captain), Adriaan Fondse, Brok Harris, Deon Fourie, JD Moller.