WP Coach Alister Coetzee is taking no chances in this weekends game against the Leopards.
WP started this seasons Currie Cup like a house on fire winning all their games bar the match against the Sharks, a result which set them on a path of 3 losses.After last weeks loss to a resurgent Lions team Coetzee stated there was no need to panic and that WP would get their campaign back on track.
Coetzee wasted no time in using his available Springboks and has added Gio Aplon, Jean de Villers, Juan De Jong and Francois Louw into his starting lineup.This game will be De Villiers first in the Blue and White hoops since returning from a stint in Ireland.
Naming a full strength team against the Leopards who languish at the bottom of the Currie Cup pile may seem like overkill but Coetzee would most likely prefer having team moral back up of a string of losses.
WP team to face the Leopards at Newlands
Western Province:
15 Conrad Hoffmann, 14 Conrad Jantjes, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Nick Koster, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Anton van Zyl (captain), 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 JC Kritzinger, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 JD Moller
Substitutes: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Wicus Blaauw, 18 Brok Harris, 19 De Kock Steenkamp, 20 Yaya Hartzenburg, 21 Willem de Waal, 22 Paul Bosch
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Hoffman at 15?? 🙄 😕
JDV, Flo and Duanne should have had a rest this weekend.
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 2) : Vermuelen will probably just play the first half with Hartzenberg coming on at half time
@wpw (Comment 1) :
They are preparing him for his stint at the Sharks, playing him everywhere in the backline except where he is best at!!! 😉
@Morné (Comment 4) :
😆
@Morné (Comment 4) :
Well in that case well done WP!! 😈
@Morné (Comment 4) : @wpw (Comment 6) : At last de Waal gets a bit of bench time. IMO de Waal has been the weak link in the WP team this last couple of games.
@Pokkel (Comment 7) :
Ek stem saam!!
(Comment 7) : De waal is a weak link in any team as is Andre Pretorius
As long as Jean tackles, they should be fine…
where is Peter Grant? Did he go to Aus or where?
@rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 11) : In Japan until the end of the year
@rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 11) : In Japan.
Think the big reason for that was Butch coming back into the Bok mix ahead of him.
@blueski palooski (Comment 13) : Its not a permanent move, WP just released him so he could go get some $$ and then come back and play S15
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 14) : Understand that, but what I’m saying is that the guy should be in the Bok mix and not playing in Japan where the standard of the game isn’t going to better him. Big fan of his and as much as it hurts to have a go at Butch, Grant has more to offer now and in 2011. The guys that play outside him at the Stormers have heaped the praise on the number 10, due to his quick hands and understranding of the game.
@Morné (Comment 4) : at least he will be more versatile when he arrives…
@wpw (Comment 1) :
PLEASE remember this moment!!!!!!!!!!! We don’t want anyone saying WE messed up his carrer by playing him all over the place. 😛
Either that or WP are just busy preparing him for life in the Sharks camp. 😛
@Morné (Comment 4) :
Oops. I see Morne already said that. 😳
@blueski palooski (Comment 15) : i like Grant but can’t say that he is a great player but considering how few good flyhalfs we have in SA i’m very surprised that he got so few chances on national level.
Good for him that he gets some experience elsewhere.
@Morné (Comment 4) : how thoughtful of them.
@rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 19) : Always seen him as a player who would do well at the Sharks. His time in the Green and Gold has been limited and that must be incredibly frustrating for the man.
@blueski palooski (Comment 21) : and considering the flyhalf woes of last couple of years would be good if Sharks had him.
all these “skis” in your nic makes me think of Podolski.
WP cant loose this one, not with that backline. I also think that the WP’s drop in form could be because of Pieter Louw being out injured. WP started losing when Plo got injured against the Sharks 😈
@Jarson (Comment 23) : me hopes so for LMS purposes 😈
I am not sure if I should back WP on this one seeing as I backed them against the Cheetahs and the Lions and they let me down twice.
Third time lucky???
@KSA Shark © (Comment 17) : I think he actually asked if he could have a stint at 15, so that he knows what to expect when he gets to durban 😆