Two of Vodacom Western Province’s new recruits, flyhalf Willem de Waal and No 8 AJ Venter, will be making their debut on Friday night in the opening Absa Currie Cup fixture against the Natal Sharks in Durban.
www.wprugby.co.za.
And lock Ross Skeate will be leading WP for the first time.
Scrumhalf Alastair Siegelaar and centre PJ Vermeulen will be making their Currie Cup debut in the Shark tank.
Province lost 18 players to the national team, the Emerging Springboks and Fiji. Coetzee said he was glad to have the luxury of falling back on the experience of Venter and De Waal.
He, however, is adamant that his game plan will not be built around these experienced provincial players.
“Every coach in South Africa will endorse that Willem is a serious campaigner and the same goes for AJ. But I don’t want to coach a side around one player – what happens if he has an off day?
“It will affect the side,” the former Bok assistant coach said.
He reckons his side will travel to Durban as the underdogs against a Sharks side intent on getting off to a winning start at home.
“You can say that we will be the underdogs against the Sharks, considering all the guys that are with the Springboks.”
He expressed confidence in the ability of the youngsters who will be tasked with making Province supporters proud on Friday evening. “We assembled a young squad who are all eager to prove themselves.
“So I am confident in the ability of the boys that will be playing.”
Vodacom WP:
15. Gio Aplon
14. Wylie Human
13. Dylan des Fountain
12. PJ Vermeulen
11. Joe Pietersen
10. Willem de Waal
9. Alastair Siegelaar
8. AJ Venter
7. Francois Louw
6. Pieter Myburgh
5. Ross Skeate (capt)
4. Adriaan Fondse
3. Brok Harris
2. Deon Fourie
1. Schalk Ferreira
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Simon Westraadt
17. Wicus Blaauw
18. Ruaan Du Preez
19. Francois Van der Merwe
20. Justin Melck
21. Paul Delport
22. Zhahier Ryland
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it’s a reasonable pack, that and I reckon the loosies will give us some trouble.
Not a great backline, though…
scrum….scrum…..scrum…..ground
Where is Shimange?
I just can’t seem to get that excited about the Currie Cup anymore….Maybe spoilt with too many internationals and the Super 14?
how many times havent we seen De Waal win games for FreeState with his educated boot and all round classy play…. Sharks will have to be wide awake
@molly (Comment 3) : injured, I think
Our backs should murder them… and our forwards have the advantage over-all… nice depth in their loosies…
Sharks 32- 20
Barrit couldn’t kick a single conversion over in the warm up game, so its not going to be as easy as you all think. And I reckon Aplon will run rings around your old timer fullback.
although, we have no pace on the wings, would’ve like Rhyland to start, just for some speed, but saying that JPP doesn’t look too much like a speed merchant. Henno will give us some troubles (if he’s still got that pace)
All things considering, I dont actually think that’s a bad side.
Very tidy pack, especially in the light of who is missing.
Reckon we might just have a game on our hands here.
@molly (Comment 8) : we’ll let Kockett kick instead 😉
@VinChainSaw (Comment 10) : yeah, but you have to think that 😉
@robdylan (Comment 11) : Exactly… people forget his sublime kicking last CC…
@robdylan (Comment 11) : Dammit… completely forgot about him 😳 . I’ll go back to us being screwed again then.
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 13) : there has to be a reason he’s in EVERYONE’s fantasy league team…
I’m going to have to rely on Keegan getting a yellow, maybe a red.
ugh, but then we have AJ which’ll even it out.
@molly (Comment 17) : it’s fun watching you argue with yourself 😉
@robdylan (Comment 18) : I’m trying to clock up some comment points, I broke the 100 barrier earlier so I’m on a high.
Not bad, but ultimately not good enough I fear. But fingers crossed.
ELV’s as in S14 or ELV’s as per IRB?
@ra-cheltjie de’ be-er (Comment 21) : will tell you after the game. I can’t keep up with all the various flavours
@molly (Comment 19) : long way to go 😉
@robdylan (Comment 22) : Just found it.
The Currie Cup and all South African competitions starting in June will be played under the ELVs to be introduced globally on 1 August 2008.
And where is Conrad Hoffman?
His balls are still injured
@PJLD (Comment 26) : ?
Like the look of the backline. Old hands like Willem & Wylie with some good talent in he midfield and speed in Pietersen & Giotjie. Also impressive losies and Melck only making the bench. WP by 9.
@PaarlBok (Comment 28) : you mean by -9?
@robdylan (Comment 27) : Groin op
welcome back PB
Ja good man. You watch our Wiese show on monday night?
Monday i was semi comatose
@PJLD (Comment 30) : we’re all groin op so fast 😉
Maybe a good one to stay away till after the Sharks game. Think they just maybe in for a surprise. 🙄
@robdylan (Comment 29) : Nah…excuse his grammar…
He was trying to say “By 9(pm) WP will be weeping” but he started to 😥 so he couldn’t finish his sentence.
@PaarlBok (Comment 35) : Ja…the surprise will be seeing AJ wearing a striped, floral kit.
Hope he’ll tear you lot. His is on the good guys side this time. 😎
@PaarlBok (Comment 39) :
Maybe you shouldn’t be wishing for Grandpa to TEAR anything…
@molly (Comment 8) :
Good thing he is the back up kicker AFTER Stefan and Kockott then 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 41) : does Stefan kick?
Yes
@KSA Shark © (Comment 43) : Borgen does too
@robdylan (Comment 42) : Drop-kick style maybe 😆
@blackshark (Comment 45) : 🙂