DHL Western Province head coach Allister Coetzee has named his squad that will take on the Lions in the Absa CurrieCup semi final clash on Saturday.
The coach is taking no chances and has thrown his senior Springboks into the frontlines.
Schalk Burger rightfully finds himself in the starting lineup and also takes ownership of the captains armband. Jean de Villiers and Jacque Fourie pair up in the midfield and will be looked upon to make a few linebreaks.Earlier this week we speculated that youngster Rynhardt Elstadt would make an earlier than expected return from injury but it seems that the coach has decided against the unnecessary risk and has continued with the Lobberts Steenkamp combo.Tiaan Liebenberg takes over rake duty from Deon Fourie, a smart move considering WP’s scrum woes agains the lowly Pumas a week ago.
The WP team is as follow:
- JC Kritzinger
- Tiaan Liebenberg
- Juan Harris
- Hilton Lobberts
- DeKock Steenkamp
- Schalk Burger jnr (C)
- Siya Kolisi
- Nick Koster
- Nic Groom
- Demitri Catrakilis
- Bryan Habana
- Jean de Villiers
- Jaque Fourie
- JJ Engelbrecht
- Gio Aplon
Bench : 16 Deon Fourie , 17 Frans Malherbe , 18 Tertius Daniller, 19Pieter Louw , 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Juan de Jong, 22 Conrad Jantjes
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Great backline but will the soft 5 be able to give them any quality ball?
Lets hope the wp powder puff tight five can stand up to the lions forwards hehe.
WP must be the favourites to take this one 😛
@Muzi (Comment 2) : I reckon Spies should join WP – think he’ll fit in perfectly with the powder puffs!
@Ice Ice Bokkie (Comment 4) : 😥 ouch thanks
@Muzi (Comment 2) :
I’m not going to dispute your claims about us being a bit weak up front but I do wanna ask you a question:
Is your team playing this weekend?? 😈 😆
@Muzi (Comment 2) : What time are the mighty Bulls playing again?
@wpw (Comment 6) : SNAP
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 7) : 😥 👿
@Ice Ice Bokkie (Comment 4) : @wpw (Comment 6) : @Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 7) : 😆 😆
This will be an interesting match up. WP backs def have the class and experience over the Lions, but can the Lions forwards dominate? Lets see what side John Mitchell picks…
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 7) : The Mighy Bulls will be back mark my words we will see whose laughing. 👿 😥
@Ice Ice Bokkie (Comment 4) :
Take it easy! The Sharks aren’t much better with Keegan Daniel, and those locks!
@Muzi (Comment 12) :
It won’t be too hard. Their strategy is buy anybody who can pick up a rugby ball!
@hendrikp (Comment 14) : 👿 😥 why am i not surprised its you again thanks alot hey.
@hendrikp (Comment 14) : I have an unread email from a H.Meyer, I wonder what its about 😈
@hendrikp (Comment 13) : I actually just emphasised that Spies is a Powder Puff…muzi is claiming your forwards are! 😉
@wpw (Comment 6) :
And the winner is :
NIC GROOM
Finally after a year of playing musical chairs, Province declare Nick Groom to be the better half than Schreuder.
@hendrikp (Comment 14) : Ja! That “rather buy everyone who poses a threat and let them rot on the bench” strategy!
@Ice Ice Bokkie (Comment 17) :
True. He doesn’t have to look far though. 😆 That loose-forward combination at the Bulls is a joke!
No fan of Dean Greyling either but he’s about the only tough forward in there. Flip van der Merwe is just a thug
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 16) : Jislaaikit!! Me too!!! 😯 😆
@beet (Comment 19) :
Hey beet,
I wasn’t very impressed with him last week and thought Schreuder looked lively when he came on, even though he was on the wing….
@Muzi (Comment 12) : I’m getting just past middle-age, will this happen in my lifetime or will it have to be my children who get to see it.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) :
Predicting a return to the Bulls of the 90’s and early 2000’s!!
Really though… their dominance went out the door alongside Victor Matfield & Fourie du Preez. Now they’re mere mortals like the rest of the teams.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : 😆
what happened to elsteadt?
@robdylan (Comment 27) : They took his extra “e” away and game him more time to recover. 🙂
@hendrikp (Comment 21) : You the joke as far as i’m concerned. 👿
@hendrikp (Comment 25) : We will see about that. 😉
👿 😥 go away
@Muzi (Comment 31) :
Don’t cry. They were never going to stay at the top for to much longer. You should take satisfaction out of the Bulls having set the benchmark.
Fourie du Preez, for me, the greatest Springbok halfback ever. Was more dominant then Joost when at his best.
Victor Matfield also a step-up from Mark Andrews. Nothing against the latter, but Victors line-out dominance was priceless.
Remember them for what they were! The best side in the world the past few years, even above the Crusaders!
I think when the Bulls adapt to new defensive strategies, and flush out those who aren’t pulling their weight – or unable to do so because they just really aren’t that good, they’ll be back!
@Muzi (Comment 31) :
hahahahahahaha!!!u sound like my 4yr old!
@Ice Ice Bokkie (Comment 33) :
Don’t all Bulls supporters sound like that?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 28) : ag warrever 🙂
@hendrikp (Comment 34) : true that, ja!
I think WP, I have a feeling they’re going to lose. 🙁
I’d like a chance for the Sharks for a home semi, but I just don’t see a win for them here.
I hope I’m wrong though and I don’t have very spesific or very concrete reasons, just a feeling.
@Letgo (Comment 37) : Well I have spesific reasons. But I’m too lazy to set them out right now.
I think the Lions will use a solid platform with their forwards, keep most of the possesion and control and never let the WP backs in with a chance.
Not if they play like last week, but I don’t think they will.