DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetsee today named a 26 man squad for this years Currie Cup campaign opener against the Bulls.The WP team is a nice mix of an experienced pack and young and exciting backs which should provide slightly more entertainment than what the Cape side has produced in recent years. WP Rugby have successfully employed a territory and defence based game in the past few seasons but looking at the players listed I imagine they may look to hold onto the ball a little more often during this campaign.
Apart from Stephen Coetzee( hooker) and Alistair Vermaak(prop) the pack has a fair number of Currie Cup caps between them and with Deon Fourie set to play at flank they will have a nice balanced feel. Fourie has generally played better at flank than at hooker and led the team to their first Currie Cup victory in over a decade from that position.
The backs look like something of a 7’s team with Gio Aplon being the elder statesman in this division. Youngsters Pat Howard and Time Swiel will have an opportunity to strut their stuff and we may get to finally see what all the hype was about. Ryan Nell (Utility back) joins the squad from Maties.
Coetsee will only name his match 22 to face the Bulls on Tuesday afternoon but the WP squad is as follows.
Forwards (13):
Scarra Ntubeni
Stephan Coetzee
Steven Kitshoff
Alistair Vermaak
Pat Cilliers
Brok Harris
Gerbrandt Grobler
De Kock Steenkamp
Ruan Kitshoff
Deon Fourie (captain)
Michael Rhodes
Rynhardt Elstadt
Nizaam Carr
Backs (13):
Louis Schreuder
Nic Groom
Gary van Aswegen
Tim Swiel
Kurt Coleman
Berton Klaasen
Damian de Allende
Pat Howard
Ryan Nell
Gerhard van den Heever
Ederies Arendse
Cheslin Kolbe
Gio Aplon
Western Province play The Bulls at DHL Rugby Stadium on Saturday the 10 August
Kickoff is 17:05 pm
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what position do the following play?
Stephan Coetzee
Alistair Vermaak
Ryan Nell
I thought demitri is on loan with them
Edited the post, Coetsee hooker, Vermaak prop (cant find out which side) Nell is listed as a utility back
@Gerrietheshark (Comment 2) : Demitri hurt his shoulder in the 1st promo/relegation game
@Gerrietheshark (Comment 2) : he is injured as far as i know
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 3) : thanks…. I’m making Nell a centre for the purposes of Fantasy League. I think he’s more of a sevens specialist. That’s a fancy word for “Hobbitt”.
Without their Boks its hardly a squad to inspire fear. Hope Pat Howard takes his chance – he has all the attributes to be a good 13.
@steve (Comment 7) : Careful!
@steve (Comment 7) : Agreed, he is a very promising player