Utility back Joe Pietersen will start at flyhalf when Western Province host the Sharks this Friday
Keo.co.za reports that Willem de Waal’s injury left a massive hole in the WP backline. Springbok Peter Grant is already out with a shoulder injury while other contracted flyhalves like Isma-eel Dollie (Boland), Ricardo Croy (SWD Eagles) and Naas Olivier (Griquas) are getting game time with other unions. The ultimate result sees a very green Province outfit fronting a formidable Sharks side loaded with Springboks.
Earlier in the week, WP U21 players Coenie van Wyk and Matthew Rosslee alternated at pivot, but Coetzee has finally given the 78kg Pietersen an opportunity to show what he can do at 10. Pietersen will also kick for goal.
“Joe was our back up to Peter Grant in the Super 14, and has the boot and the core skills to do well at flyhalf,” Coetzee told keo.co.za. “He’s in form and he has the confidence to do well against the Sharks this Friday.”
The extent of De Waal’s injury is yet to be confirmed, but Coetzee said he will not bring Dollie back into the WP set-up.
“It’s definitely not possible. When Peter and willem come back, Isma-eel will be back to third-choice. He has the opportunity to start at Boland so it would be unfair to recall him at this stage.”
The injury to Deon Fourie forces Schalk Brits to return to the front row with 19-year-old Nick Koster replacing Brits at No 8. If Fourie is not cleared to play from the bench, Simon Westraadt will take his place.
Koster is one of three changes to a WP back row that excludes AJ Venter. Francois Louw shifts to No 7 and Pieter Louw to No 6, meaning Province will be without a specialist fetcher.
“We are lacking in depth when it comes to a specialist in this position,” said Coetzee. “Schalk Burger and Luke Watson are with the Boks while Pieter Myburgh is injured. It would be ideal to have these guys available but we have to fill the gaps to the best of our ability.
“Pieter Louw is hungry and he’s fit and we are confident about this combination. Nick had a fantastic game last week, but success this Friday will depend on the success of our loose forwards as a combination.”
Dylan Des Fountain’s dislocated toe sees PJ Vermeulen back in the run-on team while Pietersen’s move to pivot also allows Springbok Tonderai Chavhanga a start on the wing.
WP – 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 PJ Vermeulen, 12 Gcobani Bobo (c), 11 Wylie Human, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Bolla Conradie, 8 Nick Koster, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Pieter Louw, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Subs: 16 Simon Westraadt/ Deon Fourie, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 AJ Venter, 19 Conraad Britz, 20 Dewaldt Duvenhage, 21 Matthew Rosslee, 22 Morgan Newman.
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Are they allowed to have so many Currie Cup Players in a Vodacom Cup side? 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) :
Hope they do not become “bubblebursters”!!!! 😯
I’m scared.
One prop and one Hooker on the bench????????????
@McLovin (Comment 3) : Did you watch a bad movie on your own??
I dont want to be on this site if the Sharks lose to these juniors.
Keo’s trumped the WP site for the team announcement!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 4) : Isn’t that the norm, very seldom does a team have three front row reserves except to counter the oppo.
Remember when Rassie used to do it for FS. Imagine if he did that against WP like last week and they ended up with uncontested scrums!
Should be called MacGyver because he makes all kinds of plans!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : 😆 What happened to wes?
Why aren’t they playing the Emerging Springbok 10… Dollie?
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 9) : cause they gave him up to Boland 🙄
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 10) :
And thank goodness for that too!
@VinChainSaw (Comment 11) : 😆
KSA and ROB
I have sent you an E-mail each . Do respond, even if it is with a lot of these 🙄 😆 and so forth.
@Silver Fox (Comment 13) : Want to hear an answer, so I’ll use the notify thingy here! 😀
@MorneN (Comment 6) : Neither do I. I still can’t believe that we not gonna see this bloodbath on supersport
@Silver Fox (Comment 14) : promise I’ll get to it.
@robdylan (Comment 16) : ok, thanks.
@Pokkel (Comment 15) : SS1 at 7pm according to the info I have seen and heard.
@Pokkel (Comment 15) :
If your talking about the Sharks / Province game then good news as KSA has determined that it will be shown on SS1. He has posted tha detail somewhere else.
@hellbent (Comment 18) : @Salmonoid (Comment 19) : Thanks
Now if only Sky could find it in their heart to broadcast the match. 🙄
@McLovin (Comment 21)Not to be insensitive now, but your previous monniker had something classy/classic about it!! 🙁
@Silver Fox (Comment 22) : Really?
@McLovin (Comment 23) : Yip, so change it back!! And that’s an order!! Damn, always wanted to say that!! 😀 😀
@Silver Fox (Comment 24) : I’ll think about it. 😉 🙂
@Silver Fox (Comment 22) :
Yes but his new monniker has revealed that his old one was in fact a dirty old man.
If we don’t come away with a Bonus point then I don’t know.
Remember WP have won their home games vs Bulls & Cheetahs.
Since then they have lost away to Griquas, Valke & Lions.
This week will be WP’s 1 st home loss and 4 th loss in a row.
Go Sharks keep the momentum forward. and the ball with forwards as well.
@Ernie (Comment 27) :
They did have that big win against Boland after 2 losses but before last weekends loss.
@Salmonoid (Comment 26) : That was never a secret. 😆
@hellbent (Comment 7) :
No I have no issue with what he has but was just confirming that the Westraadt guy is a Hooker.
It was more a question that a statement questioning the selection. (if that makes sense)
@MorneN (Comment 6) :
Will there still be a site? 😆
I’m laughing NOW, might not be laughing if we lose. 😳
@hellbent (Comment 18) : That’s right
19:00 – 21:10 SS1 ABSA Currie Cup: WP v The Sharks
19:00 – 21:10 SS7 ABSA Currie Cup: Blue Bulls v Xerox Lions
@KSA Shark © (Comment 32) :
Surely they could have scheduled one of these games on friday…
Or even at 12 on Saturday…(that is if the test is at 3)…or 6 and 8respectively…
Or even at 2 on Saturday…(that is if the test is at 5)…
Geez there are really a lot of options….in Frans and Australasia they play matches at 9 at night!??!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 32) : is it on Saturday? I can’t keep up… thought it was Friday
@Hmmm (Comment 33) :
One of these games is on Friday…………In fact they are both on Friday 😉
@robdylan (Comment 34) :
Nope it’s on Friday.
Saturday they are showing the Elephants v SWD at 17:00 and NO game at 19:00
Seems they need that scheduler at Supersport really urgently
@KSA Shark © (Comment 35) :
Then why can they not show 1 on the Saturday…visa versa?
@Hmmm (Comment 37) :
Because that would require forethought.
@robdylan (Comment 34) :
you aren’t alone..one CC schedule I have has the games split Fri/Sat and the other has them both Friday @ the same time. Mediazone says Friday tho so it appears it’s going to be another rugby at work day for me.
Why are they not starting with Morgan Newman… 🙄 Vermeulen are in the same league as Sarel Potgieter… 👿