Province holding back for Bulls
With the likes of Cheslin Kolbe, Dillyn Leyds and Rynhardt Elstadt nursing injuries, head coach John Dobson has opted to keep them wrapped in cotton wool and not risk having them being ruled out for the remainder of the campaign but he still knows the importance of their match against the Golden Lions.
"We could have pushed a few players to play in this match but we are going to be playing the Bulls in the semifinal and nothing is going to change that and we need to ensure that we have our strongest team on the field for that game.
"We are being very very conservative [with team selection] because any soft tissue injury at this stage rules you out for the season.
"At the start of the season, this was always going to be the deciding game and our plan is to go for it, but in a responsible way, and then we end up knowing what we need to do in the final round [to secure a home semifinal] and adapt accordingly," Dobson said.
The Lions have been ruthless throughout the campaign and have are just two points away from securing a home semifinal and Dobson knows his players will need to improve their discipline in order to be "in business."
"If you look at the stats, the Lions are brilliant offensively but I'm not sure if they have been tested on defence. If we can get the ball through the phases, we can put them under some real pressure and if we can get our breakdowns and discipline right, we going to be in business," he added.
Despite this, WP will have to be tight on defence to contain the Lions' attacking threat and Dobson believes the return of fit-again centre and captain Juan de Jongh will play a massive role for them.
"He [Juan] is very good in defence at NO.13, which is probably the hardest position to defend on the field. His return is a massive defensive boost for us and we have a plan for this game. We want him a little closer because of their [Lions] threats and he will make a big contribution defensively," he stated.
De Jongh has been on the sidelines for six weeks with a knee injury and returns to the starting XV, albeit for just 40 minutes.
"I am really excited to be back, it's been a very heavy six weeks especially with me not finishing the season being realistic. I am just glad to be back and getting another chance.
"Looking at the situation, the guys have been playing really well and the centres have been in fantastic form. So it's important for me to ensure I am on my 'A' game because this team needs Juan at 100 percent and not 80 percent. I feel good and I feel fit," de Jongh said.
By Tauriq Ebrahim
@Tauriq365
