Young UCT talent Tim Whitehead looks set to make his first start for the Stormers, after Springbok centre Juan de Jongh was officially ruled out of Saturday’s all-South African Super 14 derby against the Cheetahs.
In so doing, Whitehead – who has been in action for Western Province’s Vodacom Cup team in recent weeks – will become UCT’s latest Super Rugby player; joining teammates Martin Muller and Tiger Bax who earned their Super 14 stripes last season.
The Port Elizabeth-born Whitehead had, until his WP call-up, been in superb form for the Ikeys in the 2010 Varsity Cup – after missing all of last year’s tournament with a serious groin injury.
Coach Allister Coetzee will officially name his Stormers starting line-up on Wednesday. But he hinted that Whitehead – who came off the bench against Boland in a pre-season friendly at the Cape Town Stadium in early February – could be in line for his full Super 14 debut this weekend, in lieu of De Jongh’s untimely elbow injury.
“Tim (Whitehead) has been with us for one or two sessions at 12 and he also may be an option to look at,” Coetzee told thestormers.com – the coach also mentioning the possibility of moving Peter Grant from flyhalf to inside centre.
“(And then) you’ve got other centres like Dylan Des Fountain and Frikkie Welsh – but they’re all outside centres, whereas Tim is a proper 12.”
Whitehead was first discovered by UCT head coach John Dobson, at Under-20 level in 2007, and then nurtured by current Stormers assistant coach Robbie Fleck, who – of course – was Dobson’s assistant coach in the 2008 and 2009 Varsity Cups.
It was Fleck, however, who moved Whitehead from outside centre to inside centre – believing in his playmaking abilities from closer in; although Whitehead still remains comfortable at either No.12 or 13.
Twenty-one-year-old Whitehead represented the WP Under-21 team in 2008 and 2009, whilst he also played for the SA Universities side last year – despite not featuring in the Varsity Cup.
Now, however, he could be in line for his biggest challenge yet; along with the opportunity of partnering a World Cup-winning centre, in Jaque Fourie, in the Stormers midfield.
This article is courtesy of www.rugby365.com
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I havent seen much of him but if The Legend (Fleck) says he is good then who am I to argue??
@wpw (Comment 1) : It will be a brave choice to select him ahead of Walsh or des Fountain. I like it. Plum can you see how to integrate youngsters into a squad?
If he is a good distributer he might just bring his outside backs into play more often.
Or am I asking for too much from a rookie?? 🙄
@Pokkel (Comment 2) :
Those two are outside centers though!!
That cliche comes to mind: ‘We know what we have in Frikkie and Dylan’
@wpw (Comment 1) : With you there. Who are we to argue with THE SILVER FOX???
Who is Fleck again ❓ 😈
@Pokkel (Comment 6) :
The Springbok centre who single handedly destroyed the All Blacks a few years back!!
(I know I know, he is also Deon Kayser’s biaatch) 🙄
@wpw (Comment 7) : 🙂
So sorry to see De Jongh, that is a youngster witha bright future, and good on the Stormers for going for Youth rather than the tried and tested, des Fountain, who IMO never really made it. Frikkie Walsh is a wing, who no longer has the gas for this level!! Wes your boys are looking good!! How long before the Bulls game 🙂
That should read “so sorry to see de Jongh injured” 😳
@Whindy (Comment 9) :
Oops is there a problem with your PC? Did part of your comment get cut off?
Here let me fix it for you.
How long before the Bulls game are you guys going to crumble? 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 11) :
Jealousy makes you nasty hey!! 🙄
@wpw (Comment 12) :
There was a little rhyme doing the rounds when i was groing up.
“Jealousy makes you nasty and nasty makes you fat.”
DUDE have you SEEN how big I am. I am VERY nasty!!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) :
Well I am probably the ‘nastiest’ oke on this site (if you know what I mean) 🙄