WP's Boks bolster their backline
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:36
Juan de Jongh: In the mix. (c) Doug Fitz-Gerald
Western Province will welcome back Springboks Gio Aplon and Juan de Jongh into their backline for Friday's Currie Cup encounter against the Pumas at Newlands.
Province remain top of the log as the only unbeaten side in the 2010 Currie Cup and have the opportunity to extend their lead against the seventh-placed Pumas in Cape Town.
Both Springbok backs will want to make an impression ahead of the home-leg of the Tri-Nations, as Aplon takes over from former SA Sevens teammate Fabian Juries on the right-wing and De Jongh partners Paul Bosch in the midfield in the absence of UCT's Tim Whitehead who misses out altogether.
The other change to the backline is at scrumhalf, where impressive young gun Conrad Hoffmann gets a start in place of vice-captain Dewaldt Duvenage.
The pack of forwards that starved the Leopards of possession in Potchefstroom last weekend shows just one change, with Tiaan Liebenberg reinstated at hooker in place of the injured Deon Fourie.
Duvenage and Fourie both took knocks during last week's 42-23 victory over the Leopards, and - after undergoing cognitive tests during the week - they have been rested as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, powerhouse loose forward Francois Louw, who was also released by the embattled Springboks - like De Jongh and Aplon, has been omitted from the matchday 22 altogether; after featuring in all but one of his country's Tests so far this year.
"After a careful assessment of the players, we decided to give Flo [Francois Louw] a break," explained Western Province coach Allister Coetzee.
"He has been playing with the odd niggle earlier in the season and it's a good time to give him a break now. Gio (Aplon) and Juan (De Jongh) are both hungry to play for Province."
Coetzee also underlined his plan to blood new players with a long-term view, and give opportunities to the talented youngsters in the province that have been earmarked for the future.
"In a bigger plan we have decided to bring some youngsters through without underestimating the opposition. There is a plan of development in this province and that's why we have made the changes," he said.
Fourie's injury has opened the door for ex-Bok hooker Hanyani Shimange to rejoin the WP matchday 22, together with Western Province Under-21 captain Louis Schreuder who is the back-up scrumhalf. Schreuder, who played for the SA U20 team earlier this year, will make his Currie Cup debut should he get some game time.
There is a more traditional four-three split amongst the replacements, which allows talented flyer JJ Engelbrecht to take his place in the matchday 22 in a direct switch with flanker Yaya Hartzenberg - two WP U21 players swapping places.
Western Province: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Paul Bosch, 11 Frikkie Welsh, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Duane
Vermeulen, 7 Rynardt Elstadt, 6 Pieter Louw, 5 Anton van Zyl (captain), 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JD Moller.
Replacements: 16 Hanyani Shimange, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 Martin Muller, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Lionel Cronjé, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.
Date: Friday, July 30
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Pro Legoete
Assistant referees: Stuart Berry, Eugenia Daniels
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Advertising
