Western province will be without captain Jean de Villiers when they take on the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday evening, with de Villiers joining Andries Bekker and Tiaan Liebenberg on the casualties list.
Deon Fourie takes back the captaincy from the side of the scrum with Marcel Brache taking over from de Villiers in midfield. De Kock Steenkamp and Scarra Ntubeni replace Bekker and Liebenberg respectively.
The only other change to the starting line up sees Gio Aplon taking over at fullback from Joe Pietersen, who drops to the bench.
The bench sees the addition of Deon Carstens, Wilhelm van der Sluys and Damian de Allende to the match day 22, taking over from the called up players.
Western Province: 15. Gio Aplon, 14. Gerhard van den Heever, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Marcel Brache, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Demetri Catrakilis, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Don Armand, 6. Deon Fourie (captain), 5. De Kock Steenkamp, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Scarra Ntubeni, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16. Deon Carstens, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19. Jebb Sinclair, 20. Louis Schreuder, 21. Damian de Allende, 22. Joe Pietersen
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How little ball will the wings see with that center pairing?
Wondering how many Springboks will be out of the end of year tour after this weekend?
Lions to take this one I am sure. This is not the best WP team thanks to a couple of injuries….
@Bite me (Comment 2) : Not Morné Steyn, definitely not Morné Steyn.
I wonder when last (if ever) he had a shiner, or any kind of injury remotely related to rugby? Even a broken nail will be stretch for the lack of (read non existent) physicality he brings to the rugby field. 😈
Lions’ chances are increasing daily….. 😕
@SharksRTB (Comment 5) : Why do you look so worried when you say that.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 4) :
He still has two games in the next to weeks so anything can happen!! 😈
@Lassy_lion (Comment 6) : LOL.. worried for the poor WP who might not make it this weekend with “All the Boks back” to win the CC for them…
@wpw (Comment 7) : Now there’s a brave man, or maybe it’s the beer muscles talking? 😉 😆
@FireTheLooser (Comment 4) : He has to take contact to get a injury.
@wpw (Comment 7) : I doubt the blue bulls have 2 weeks left