Seabelo Senatla
The good news for DHL Western Province fans is that explosive winger Seabelo Senatla, who has been missed by the Cape side during his injury enforced absence, will be back for the play-off rounds of the Absa Currie Cup.
Senatla has linked up with the Springboks during their build-up to Saturday’s test match against Australia at Newlands for the purpose of picking up experience that could come in useful later in his career.
He has been unable to train, but according to Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts he is being monitored by the Bok Sevens medical team. He is in the final stages of rehabilitation from his ankle injury and will soon be back on the field.
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Senatla injured his ankle during a man of the match performance against the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the fourth round of the domestic competition. He would be ready to return to the WP team before the play-offs, but he has a dual contract shared between WP and the Bok Sevens.
In terms of the agreement between the two parties, he will be unavailable for the final league matches as he will be involved with in the Gold Coast tournament that starts off the next edition of the IRB World Sevens Series.
“We always knew Seabelo wouldn’t be available for the last few Currie Cup league games but he will rejoin us after the Gold Coast tournament on 11 and 12 October and play in the play-off games,” said WP coach Allister Coetzee.
Another Sevens Bok, Justin Geduld, may also be lost to WP for the same reason, which makes it even more imperative for WP to get it right on Friday night by beating the Steval Pumas in Mbombelat.
Geduld has impressed in his appearances for Province so far, with his first start against the GWK Griquas last week being rewarded with a try.
He is a good replacement for Senatla as he has similar qualities, but there is the possibility that WP will have to be without both of them on the weekend of the Gold Coast tournament.
The tournament just happens to coincide with the final regular season fixture against the Cell C Sharks at Newlands. After a poor start the Sharks are starting to gather some momentum, and while at this stage they are some way behind WP on the log, Province will want to keep it that way.
Ideally, WP would like to go into their last match against the Sharks with top spot on the log secured, something they can achieve if they beat the Pumas and Cheetahs in the next two matches, both of them away, and the Lions falter against Griquas at Kimberley this weekend or against the Sharks in Durban in the penultimate round.