WP coach Allister Coetzee has confirmed that hard-working loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff will be forced to sit out this weekend’s Currie Cup opener against the Sharks at Newlands.
The young front ranker, who has carried a ridiculous work load so far this season, has picked up a knee injury and is expected to be on the sidelines for around a week. Another player who won’t feature is long-term injury casualty Duane Vermeulen, whose recovery from a knee ligament problem is coming along nicely, but unlikely to allow him to play as early as Saturday. He should make his long-awaited comeback the following week.
The Stormers will also be without six Springboks, in centres Jean de Villiers and Juan de Jongh, locks Eben Etzebeth and Andries Bekker, wing Bryan Habana and new cap, flanker Siya Kolisi. It remains to be seen whether these losses disrupt Province enough to make them vulnerable to a Sharks team that will be without more than double as many players themselves.
Coetzee is expected to announce his side later today.
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You forgot Habana, again.
Can anyone explainwhy it is a 19h10 kickoff. Currie Cup games generally are at 3 an 5 pm.
Newlands is going to be freezing max 12 for sat during the day…
@Die Kriek (Comment 1) : I challenge you to prove that!
@MikeVS (Comment 2) : Are you going to the game. I wont be able to make it, having myself a long weekend. The corresponding game last year was also a bitterly cold wet affair. Fred won it for us with a few drop goals.
Oh well… the Sharks are definitely favorites!!
@Salmonoid (Comment 4) :
Ja ja stop bragging…
I remember that game very well…
OK, so Allister Coetzee says one week, in real speak this equates to at least a month out for poor Kitshoff.
@wpw (Comment 6) : Me too, I also remember Big Fish eating ice cream.
@Salmonoid (Comment 8) :
On a wet and rainy evening.
There’s something seriously wrong with that chap!
@Mikevs (Comment 2)
It is because there is a game before our game. Lions vs Cheetahs have the 5pm slot.
Rob if you count Peter Grant, Joe pietersen and all their injuries, including Nick Koster and Nizaam Carr (I don’t know if they’re fit yet), then it’s a little closer than double.
They then have 10 and we have 15, I think … (including Tim and Steph) and (Bresler and McLeod).
@Dunx (Comment 10) : Hi Dunx, but there isn’t a test on. Generally Currie Cup games are at 3pm and 5 pm. If there is a test on then that obviously takes precedence. Now I see the Bok game next week is at 7 pm too…
Weird times
@Salmonoid (Comment 4) : I am considering it but might just play it safe and either make a currie and watch the game from home or go to the club
WP –
15 Joe Pietersen
14 Gerhard van den Heever
13 JP du Plessis
12 Marcel Brache
11 Gio Aplon
10 Burton Francis
9 Dewaldt Duvenage
8 Jebb Sinclair
7 Tyrone Holmes
6 Deon Fourie (c)
5 De Kock Steenkamp
4 Don Armand
3 Frans Malherbe
2 Tiaan Liebenberg
1 Deon Carstens
Subs:
16 Siyabonga Ntubeni
17 Brok Harris
18 JC Kritzinger
19 Wilhelm van der Sluys
20 Louis Schreuder
21 Gary van Aswegen
22 Damian de Allende
@MikeVS (Comment 14) : De Kok Steenkamp and Elstadt?
Elstadt Injured knee (2 weeks or so) not sure about Steenkamp
@Volstruis (Comment 15) : Steenkamp is starting
@Volstruis (Comment 15) : From Supersport – Elstadt, who has been struggling with a minor groin injury
@MikeVS (Comment 18) : Mike – give us a few minutes and we’ll get the story up here, k? You don’t need to recreate it line by line from other websites
@MikeVS (Comment 18) : @robdylan (Comment 19) :
Here you go Mike!
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/2012/08/08/province-without-kitshoff-for-sharks-clash/#comment-410898
@robdylan (Comment 19) : Sharks team is also up on the website
@robdylan (Comment 19) : Thanks Rob
We’ll get the sharks up in a bit