Western Province’s injury toll continues to climb, with the long-awaited return to action of loose forward Duane Vermuelen set to be off-set by losses to key personnel in other positions.
Coach Allister Coetzee was forced to watch his charges fumble and stumble their way to a shock loss against the Sharks in their Saturday night opener, before hearing further bad news in the change rooms beneath a sodden Newlands. About the only silver lining at this stage is that none of the fresh injuries are to loose forwards!
Deon Carstens suffered a broken nose during the game and while his non-availability for the trip to play Griquas will be offset by the return of Steven Kitshoff after a week out, it’s nevertheless the second front row injury in the space of a week, with JC Kritzinger ruled out for three months just shortly ahead of the game. It’s at the back, though, where the real concerns are; both flyhalf Burton Francis and fullback Joe Pietersen will be missing this weekend as the result of injuries picked up during Saturday’s comedy of errors.
Not only will Coetzee be forced to replace two of the main play-makers in his backline, he’ll also need to find a new goal-kicker for Kimberley, with replacement flyhalf Gary van Aswegen the man most likely to be given the challenge.
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Bad news for Province..
A trip to Griquas is never an easy one, and now with dented confidence and unfit players, this trip is made even more dificult!
“two of the main playmakers” There are playmakers at WP/Stormers?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 2) : I think he was referring to the guys who hog the PS in the rec room
@Die Kriek (Comment 3) : Oh well played
Long as we don’t lose another loose-forward
Anyone know if Heinrich Steyl is fit? That’d be the only real option as a ‘straight swap’ you’d imagine.
Otherwise shuffle and bring in one of Kobus van Wyk, Patrick Howard, Tshotsho Mbovane, Dean Hammond or Damian de Allende…
@vanmartin (Comment 4) : Thank you thank you, I’m here till Tuesday!
Good to have Duane and Kitshoff back. I don’t understand why we aren’t using Catrikilis after he was one of our standouts last year and in the vodacom cup. Whatever, Kimberley shouldn’t be too difficult. Though the ground there is like concrete.
@Leviathan (Comment 7) : you guys couldn’t beat us at home, yet you say “Kimberley shouldn’t be too difficult”…. I’m going to pass that one on to my mates in the Griquas team
@robdylan (Comment 8) : hehehehe it`s gonna be interesting.
Griquas at home without Joe Petersen . . .