Experienced prop Brok Harris will captain DHL Western Province in their final league match of the 2014 Absa Currie Cup season – against the Sharks at DHL Newlands on Saturday (kick-off 17:05 SA Time).
DHL Western Province have already qualified for a home semifinal, by virtue of their top of the log finish with a game in hand, and head coach Allister Coetzee has handed starts to captain Harris, fit-again Springbok hooker Tiaan Liebenberg and flyhalf Kurt Coleman, who will make his 50th appearance for Province.
Harris, who will be leaving Western Province at the end of the season – after eight years in the Cape, has played 117 matches for DHL Western Province and 93 for the DHL Stormers.
Inside centre Jaco Taute was not considered for selection due to a rib injury, with Michael van der Spuy and Pat Howard combining at centre this week.
Wings EW Viljoen (from the DHL WP U21 ranks) and Devon Williams will both get their first taste of Absa Currie Cup action, whilst forwards Oli Kebble (prop) and Jurie van Vuuren (lock) will also earn first-ever starts at this level after impressing off the bench last weekend and, like Williams, having already featured for the DHL Stormers earlier this season.
Forwards Justin Ackerman (prop – a member of the cup-winning U21 side from last year), Gavin Annandale (lock/flank – on loan) and Patrick O’Brien (loose forward – from UWC) are all in line to make their first-ever Absa Currie Cup appearances from the bench, along with utility back Chevandre van Schoor, a contracted WP player.
A familiar face on the bench this week is that of former DHL Western Province captain Anton van Zyl, who joins the matchday squad following injuries to first-choice locks Jean Kleyn and Ruan Botha.
“It’s a great opportunity to expand the capacity of our squad,” explained DHL WP coach Allister Coetzee at Thursday’s team announcement.
“I’d love to be in the position to have some selection headaches for the semifinal after a big game like this against the Sharks who have everything to play for and will create just the pressure-filled environment needed to test those players coming into this side this week.” Coetzee is expecting a tough match on Saturday, as the Sharks head to DHL Newlands knowing that a win could put them in line for a home semifinal.
He told www.wprugby.com: “The Sharks are starting to fire at the right time, they’re starting to play some good rugby and there’s a big belief in the side. They’re a formidable team and will present a huge challenge (for us).”
Match tickets for Saturday are priced from just R35.00 (for standing), whilst seating prices range between R55.00, R65.00, R75.00 and R95.00 and can be purchased right now from http://wprugby.ticketpros.co.za.
Tickets can also be bought directly from the DHL Newlands Box Office (opening times this week: Tuesday-Friday, 09h00-16h00 and Saturday, 09h00-15h30), or from selected Western Cape Spar stores and PostNet branches (nationwide).
DHL Western Province: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 EW Viljoen (On debut), 13 Pat Howard, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Devon Williams (On debut), 10 Kurt Coleman (Vice-captain – 50th cap for WP), 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Rohan Kitshoff, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Jurie van Vuuren (On Currie Cup debut), 3 Brok Harris (Captain), 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Oli Kebble (On Currie Cup debut)
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Justin Ackerman (On debut), 18 Gavin Annandale (On debut), 19 Anton van Zyl, 20 Patrick O’Brien (On debut), 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Chevandre van Schoor (On debut).
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Marc van Zyl
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Got to say, this is only a banana peel for the Tjarks, then again quite a few of these names have played Super Rugby and then there is the perennial home town ref, and with Shaun TMO decisions can go any way.
Might be a good superbru bet to go for PW.
I know that many 2nd (even 3rd) choice players are playing but it is at least good to see that Gerbrandt Grobler is back from injury. Hopefully Jean Kleyn will be good to go next week.
I have always rated Rohan Kitshoff as a fetcher – and would like to see his combination with Elstadt and Notshe.
I guess there is always a risk of losing momentum when you rest so many players but the likes of De Jongh, Van Wyk, Rhodes, Carr, Vermaak and even Carizza (whom I don’t rate) have had quite a workload during the CC. The fact that Groom isn’t in the 22 – and that he has played the full 80 minutes last week – has to be an indication that he is definitely no 1 in the pecking order at 9.
Let’s hope Tiaan doesn’t injure his back again
I haven’t seen much of EW Viljoen but he is an exciting prospect – would have liked to see him at 15 though.
Lleyds did not do himself any favours (for selection in the semi-finals) last week.
Due to the lack of continuity the WP side will battle IMO but they are not going to roll over – some of them may just want to put up their hands for possible contract(s)
2 @ charlesm:
Hi charlesm, I guess you guys have earned the right to rest some of your key players by already securing top spot on the log. Is Rohan Kitshoff the Namibian player?
@ Bullscot: That’s him yes !
@ charlesm:
I kind of went for the Sharks on Superbru because I thought they will dominate up front, but in hindside I regret it, will they really? They have been struggling and I think the added pressure of losing to a “B” team will be quite a hurdle for the Sharks when they come up against okes who have played Super Rugby.
5 @ charlesm:
thanks, thought so. What happened to the other Kitshoff the good young South African prop is he still injured or has he been playing in the Currie Cup? Seem to remember folk rating him very highly.
@ Bullscot:
Steven K has done ligaments in his knee – not sure when during next season he’ll be back.
@ MacroBlouBul:
The Sharks should be to good for WP but never say “never” 😉
8 @ charlesm:
That sounds nasty charlesm, hopefully he is not rushed back too soon and that in time he recovers properly, also hope that when he does start back again that the fans are not too crazy on their expectations of his performance as he could take a while to get back to full confidence, would think that your knees are an important part of your equipment for scrimmaging as a prop so damage to them would have an effect.
Agree about your Sharks thoughts, they should win. Thing is what would a loss do to WP with their semi-final coming up do they lose a bit of confidence or have they already decided oh well it is such an experimental team that a possible loss has no bearing at all on the next match.
Damn, shouldn’t have made my picks on Tuesday, didn’t see this team coming.
Sharks definitely favorites,would have picked them if I had waited for the team announcement
@ Bullscot:
I think the medical personnel should know by now how to treat the guys after such a serious injury: “unfortunately” they have treated quite a number of those over time. Mostly those injuries can’t be prevented but Kitshoff played too much rugby as well – a good example of a young up and coming player being overplayed.
I guess the resting or not of the senior players is a catch 22 situation. If the “B team” gets klapped, the supporters will complain. If the 1st 22 are picked and a senior player gets injured, the coach is blamed. IMO AC and co have taken the correct decision.
@NORTIE: perhaps the guys pull off a surprise win
😀
11 @ charlesm:
You would think they would know by now but these things are not exact sciences and I don’t believe the ball is always in their court as the coaches pick the players to play week in and week out.
“Kitshoff played too much rugby as well – a good example of a young up and coming player being overplayed.” – thought this sentence of yours was quite eerie as this very thought has been running through my head since earlier this evening, just don’t have the time and mental alertness tonight amongst other reason to put the context into a piece, maybe I will try get a chance to do so early next week, although hopefully it doesn’t then look like an ‘after the fact’ bit.
@ charlesm:
Let’s hope so, but I’m not so sure.
Sharks are playing good rugby at the moment, we are not as assured and fluid as we were at the start of the tournament.
Seems teams like the Bulls and Sharks are gaining momentum and we and the Lions are losing it
@ Bullscot:
I’ll look out for that piece next week.
The thing is the medical / rehab and conditioning personnel can do their work to the best of their abilities to “fix” the injured player and make recommendations about his fitness / recuperation but in the end the coach will (usually) make the call on whether to pick the player or not.
@ nortie:
Can’t disagree with that
AC’s “Jake White SR2014 Cheetahs vs. Sharks”-moment
An ill omen …
Go Sharks!
@ charlesm:
Hi pal.A couple of pigs just flew past my window.
Kind regards
Rye
@ MacroBlouBul:
1 believe it or not.I want for WP b margin of 12
Regards.Those flying pigs looked happy.
Rye
Sydney – Australia coach Ewen McKenzie denied having an affair with a staff member as a row over allegedly offensive texts sent by Kurtley Beale took an unexpected twist on Friday.
A stony-faced McKenzie rejected rumours about his relationship with business manager Di Patston, who is on stress leave following a mid-flight argument with Beale during last week’s trip to Argentina.
Beale was suspended from the Argentina game over the argument, and was later barred from selection indefinitely after the emergence of “deeply offensive text messages” concerning a member of staff.
“I’ve got a professional relationship with her. And I refute that,” McKenzie told reporters, when asked if he had an “intimate” relationship with Patston.
“There are people out there and that there’s some sort of campaign to impugn, that’s (not) the situation,” said McKenzie, who is married with children.
“I’ve got a professional relationship with her and I refute that.”
Beale is under investigation by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) over both the argument and the text messages, and is expected to face a hearing early next week.
Australian media reports said the situation had become divisive in the Wallabies camp, which is also reeling from last week’s 21-17 defeat – Argentina’s first win in the Rugby Championship.
But McKenzie said. “I don’t think I have a divided camp. I know there’s been lots of talk in the newspapers and everyone’s got an opinion, but I know the playing group.”
He defended Patston’s appointment, which was made during his tenure, and said he didn’t believe it had caused “angst” in the team.
“She came in as the business manager and she came in with a specific role to take the team to a new level,” he told a press conference in Sydney.
“She’s got extraordinary skills and she had made a massive difference to the business side of it and that’s what she’s done.”
McKenzie was also frustrated that the Wallabies were being sidetracked ahead of their final Bledisloe Cup Test with New Zealand in Brisbane next week.
“I am annoyed because in the end we are trying to run a football programme and it’s got sidetracked and it’s been sidetracked in many different ways,” he said.
“It’s frustrating but there is a challenge to try and put that back on track.
“I can’t stop people speculating. It’s me this week, it will be someone else next week, that’s the way it is. I accept that it’s the life in the public domain but you just get on with it.”
Beale has been suspended indefinitely while the ARU investigation plays out.
The 47-Test back was last year was forced to undergo counselling and rehabilitation for his struggles with alcohol.
McKenzie said he only found out about the text messages, which reportedly contain lewd pictures and date back to June, last week.
“I became aware of the existence of the text messages in Buenos Aires. I know the content, I haven’t seen the photos,” McKenzie said.
“When I became aware of it I forwarded the information on, then she (Patston) obviously left because of stress and the way she felt about the environment and then it was left to the integrity unit as we advised at the time.”
Patston flew home early from Argentina and she has been on leave ever since.
AFP
As Hercule Gunther guessed there may have been some mile high action going on
😆
It seems old Link might have made an unauthorised visit to her cockpit.
😆
gunther wrote:
Guilty until proven innocent?
The real question is whether he still has the support of his Wallaby squad.
19 @ gunther:
you did indeed…! 😆
curiouser and curiouser…
we all know the wallabies play an entertaining game… just a pity it ain’t rugby…!
😆
@ ryecatcher:
Hi Rye. It seems you and Nortie have made the same mistake: wait until the teams are announced before you make your picks !
Angostura wrote:
The only difference: the Sharks haven’t booked a home semi by then but the Western Province have done so – no omen IMO
23 @ charlesm:
indeed charles…
that’ll learn ’em for putting all their eggs in one omelette…!! 😉
😆
@ Angostura:
That’s why I used the word might.
😆
One of my ancestors who was a a witch burner used to say where there’s smoke there’s fire.
@ ufo:
Hi bud – as I have said a catch 22 for AC.
I still believe it was the correct decision especially since there are no bye weekends etc.
I see that John Dobson has given a lot of his U/21 side a break as well. They too, have already finished on top of the log
@ ufo:
Whatever the outcome it’s quite clear that Gilbert seems to be a toxic little fucker.
😆
27 @ charlesm:
hey bud… you well…?
yeah… a catch 22… but i agree with you that he’s done the correct thing here by resting the first choice players…
no disrespect to the sharks… merely doing the sensible thing in the circumstances…
dobbo too has steered the right course…
and it’s great to see so many players, at both levels, getting a bite of the bigger pie, so to speak…
@ charlesm:
Dobbo should be coaching currie cup already.
If the Brokebacks don’t wake up the Bulls will steal him to replace Rock Science Ludeke.
😆
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