Western Province received a massive boost to their chances of qualifying for the Currie Cup semifinals on Tuesday when flyhalf Peter Grant was passed fit for Saturday’s big showdown against the Lions at Newlands.
Ashfak Mohamed, IOL.
Grant has been struggling with an ankle injury he sustained in last week’s 23-7 win over Boland in Wellington. The Springbok pivot had to sit out training on Monday, but took a full part in on Tuesday closed practice session in Bellville.
WP coach Allister Coetzee was happy to have Grant available. “Peter trained today without any problems,” Coetzee said on Tuesday.
“He is over his ankle injury and will play on Saturday.”
WP would have had serious problems if Grant could not play this weekend. Joe Pietersen has played a few matches at flyhalf, but is better suited to wing and fullback.
In addition, the stakes are high in Saturday’s match, so it would have been asking a lot of Pietersen to play at flyhalf.
The other option WP could have utilised is former Bok fullback Percy Montgomery, who has played a few matches at flyhalf in the past.
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erm Bok pivot… 😕
The Vodacom WP team is as follows:
15. Conrad Jantjes 14. Joe Pietersen 13. Sireli Naqelevuki 12. Jean De Villiers (C) 11. Wylie Human 10. Peter Grant 9. Ricky Januarie 8. Luke Watson 7. Francois Louw 6. Schalk Burger 5. Andries Bekker 4. Adriaan Fondse 3. Brian Mujati 2. Schalk Brits 1. Wicus Blaauw
Reserves: 16. Deon Fourie 17. JC Kritzinger 18. Schalk Ferreira 19. AJ Venter 20. Bolla Conradie 21. Percy Montgomery 22. Morgan Newman
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 1) : he is, isn’t he?
Well I guess so..but how many min of Rugby has he played there..
Surely he is a Province pivot more than he is a Bok pivot 🙂
Voldy has Monty and Grant bracketed, but i was under the impression he was declared fit…..seems like Alistair is taking lessons from Rassie and his selection games
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 4) : yeah, but I’m angling for a job over at Voldy 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 6) :
Thought so 😉
@Sauce (Comment 5) : the team has been announced and Grant is definitely the only flyhalf named
@robdylan (Comment 8) : Maybe cos he’s the “only” FLYHALF they have … 😆
@just blackshark (Comment 9) : I still rate Perce as a damn fine pivot, it must be said