The Western Province side to take on Griquas in the opening round of the Currie Cup this weekend has been announced, with a few surprises thrown in. The first name to jump at me is Hilton Lobberts, who has come from Club rugby to represent at Currie Cup level again.
Province have somewhat of a lock crises and this move can be understood, as they have lost Andries Bekker to Bok call up, Rynardt Elstadt to a season ending injury and Anton van Zyl to Stade Francais.
Both JJ Engelbrecht and Johann Sadie, Blue Bulls from the end of the year, have been included in the starting lineup, at wing and outside centre respectively.
Deon Fourie will lead the team in the absence of any previous captains and Nick Koster will hope to take some Super Rugby form into the watered down competition.
WP: Conrad Jantjies; JJ Engelbrecht, Johann Sadie, Tim Whitehead, Danie Poolman; Gary van Aswegen, Louis Schreuder; Nick Koster, Siya Kolisi, Wimpie van der Walt, De Kock Steenkamp, Hilton Lobberts, Brock Harris, Deon Fourie (capt), Wicus “Baba” Blaauw.
Reserves: Tiaan Liebenberg, Frans Malherbe, Adriaan Fondse, Rohan Kitshoff, Nick Groom, Demetri Catrakilis, Marcel Brache.

I’m looking forward to this game.
Some very good up and coming youngsters in the side!!
I hope Adriaan Fondse gets a run. One of my favourite players! 😎
Not a bad side at all considering who’s not there.
Exciting backline!
@wpw (Comment 1) : But choosing Hilton Lobberts over him is not exactly a vote of confidence.
It’s an interesting period.
We’re getting to see a number of the players who’ll form the core of our 2015 RWC campaign, in this Currie Cup.
Where is this game being played? I’ll go with the home team to win this one.
Baba Blaauw. 😈
@beet (Comment 5) :
Newlands..
@war1 (Comment 3) :
Tell me about it.
Having said that I don’t think Lobberts is as bad a player as people make him to be.
He isn’t as good as he was when he first came onto the scene but he does add value imho.
@Salmonoid (Comment 6) : Thats his actual nickname, dont know why, he looks a hundred years old
@wpw (Comment 8) : Ja, Hilton is certainly a more than decent player but has not hit the kind of form that earned him a Bok tour call-up, hopefully he has a good Currie cup campaign.
@wpw (Comment 8) : Ja, Hilton is certainly a more than decent player but has not hit the kind of form that earned him a Bok tour call-up, hopefully he has a good Currie cup campaign but not against the Sharks 😉
@war1 (Comment 11) :
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 9) : That could only be from his mother…I am my Moms “baba” and I am almost a hundres years old!
This team mos don’t look so lekka there by the dik manne
Keen to see how Lobberts goes, I heard he was impressive for UCT, although that may have been a case of man against boys 😉
Cue KSA 🙂
@BoetaC (Comment 14) :
Long time no snipe Boeta C.
Hoesit??
WP ought to be favourites to WIN the CC with this team 😎
@wpw (Comment 16) : Yskoud brudda
Deon Fourie 😯 😯 😯
The Griquas could take this game.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 19) :
That selection just stuffed up my FL selection. I thought that Liebenberg would definitely play.
@Pokkel (Comment 20) : You still have time to trade and make changes 🙂
Jeepers, didn’t know Handsak was off to Stade Francais.
@Pokkel (Comment 20) : I also had to get rid of him choppers…
Bonkers to pick Fourie ahead of Liebenberg… simply unfathomable
“and Nick Koster will hope to take some Super Rugby form into the watered down competition.”
I’m still waiting for the ‘next Zinzan Brooke’ to make an appearance….
Peter Grant? Have I missed something? Is he not contracted for CC? I have not seen a single mention of his name anywhere on any site!
Why am I the only one who doesn’t know!!
@Frisbee (Comment 25) : he’s gone back to Japan…. will return for Super Rugby next year
@robdylan (Comment 26) : Well holy hand-grenades! How I missed that…
Don’t know what Grants logic is for playing in Japan other than money, its worse than a watered down CC
PROOOOOOOOBBBLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEMMMMMSSSSSSS !!! 😈 😆 😈