Cronjé steps into the spotlight
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:15
Hello (new) No.10. (c) Gallo
You dismiss the Leopards at your own peril, but Western Province can be forgiven if they gloss over the opposition and focus more on the performances of some of their own players at Newlands on Saturday.
The winless Leopards are unlikely to trouble Province too much in this Currie Cup fixture, with the Cape Town-based outfit determined to end their three-match losing streak.
However, WP coach Allister Coetzee is keen to see how young flyhalf Lionel Cronjé performs in his first Currie Cup start.
The decision to start Cronjé at flyhalf in place of the experienced Willem de Waal - who has undergone a slump in form - may just be what the doctor ordered.
Cronjé's selection - as well as the return of Springboks Gio Aplon (left wing), along with centres Juan de Jongh and Jean de Villiers - could see Province produce a far more attacking display that the bumbling effort they put on display against the Lions in Johannesburg last week.
Coetzee said he was very excited to have his Boks back. "They really brought some enthusiasm to the team this week. It's good having them back, obviously," the coach said.
However, it is the selection at flyhalf that has caused a buzz in Cape Town.
"We always looked at blooding youngsters, giving youngsters an opportunity," Coetzee told a media gathering this week.
"That is why you see Lionel [Cronjé] in at No.10. It is a planned move, that's why we sent him back to the Under-21 team [last week] to get some game time.
"Knowing that we have our Boks back, Lionel can start with a bit of experience around him and make sure he gets a decent chance to start at No.10. Every one here wanted to see Lionel play.
"The policy always has been to blood youngsters at home and at least he's got some experience around him this time around."
Coetzee has no doubt that Cronjé has what it takes to deliver the goods at Currie Cup level.
"He's played at Under-21 national level before and had game time [off the bench in the Currie Cup] before."
Recent results:
2009: Western Province won 48-7, Cape Town
2009: Western Province won 37-3, Potchefstroom
2010: Western Province won 42-23, Potchefstroom
rugby365.com Prediction: You have to be a die-hard Leopards supporter to bet against a Western Province win this week. It could be a real hiding as well. Western Province by at least 20 points.
The teams:
Western Province: 15 Conrad Hoffmann, 14 Conrad Jantjes, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Nick Köster, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Anton van Zyl (captain), 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 JC Kritzinger, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 JD Moller.
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17
Wicus Blaauw, 18 Brok Harris, 19 De Kock Steenkamp, 20 Yaya Hartzenberg, 21 Willem de Waal, 22 Paul Bosch.
Leopards: 15 Danie Dames, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 Jovan Bowles, 12 Cecil Dumond, 11 Dumisani Matyeshana, 10 Clayton Durand, 9 Theo van Wyk, 8 Riaan Swanepoel, 7 Reginald Kember, 6 Wilhelm Koch (captain), 5 Brad Mockford, 4 Anthonie Gronum, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2 Marthinus van der Westhuizen, 1 Bennie Uys.
Replacements: 16 Gavin Williamson, 17 Barend van der Walt, 18 Edrich Linde, 19 Christo van Niekerk, 20 Divan Kotze, 21 Neill Jacobs, 22 Cornelius Rautenbach.
Date: Saturday, September 11
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00)
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Assistant referees: François Veldsman, Eugenia Daniels
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