Schreuder and Catrakilis to start in WP backline

Oct 3 • General News, National, South Africa • 2024 Views • Comments Off on Schreuder and Catrakilis to start in WP backline

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DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has made four changes to his team for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup meeting with the MTN Golden Lions at DHL Newlands.
Halfbacks Louis Schreuder and Demetri Catrakilis will start in the backline, whilst fit-again flanker Rynhardt Elstadt returns at No.7, which sees Michael Rhodes shift back into the second row where he began the Absa Currie Cup season.

Schreuder and Catrakilis come in for Nic Groom and Kurt Coleman, respectively, with Rhodes replacing youngster Tazz Fuzani in the No.4 jersey.

Scrumhalf Groom and flyhalf Coleman will warm the bench this week, but lock Fuzani drops out altogether with loose forwards Schalk Burger and Josh Katzen continuing amongst the replacements.

Burger last week made his return to action after almost 18 months on the sidelines with a series of injuries.

Burger’s 20-minute impact in Bloemfontein – as DHL WP won 29-27 – was plain to see and he could now make his first appearance at DHL Newlands since February 2012, whilst WP Under-21 skipper Katzen looks to win his third senior cap in as many weeks.

In two changes to the bench from last week, prop Frans Malherbe could make his first Currie Cup appearance of the season – having recovered fully from a long-term ankle injury – whilst Ryan Nell joins the bench as a backline replacement as WP revert to a regular four/three (forwards/backs) split.

Province, the defending champions, remain the only unbeaten team in the 2013 Absa Currie Cup.

The DHL Western Province team to take on the Golden Lions is as follows:

15. Gio Aplon
14. Gerhard van den Heever
13. Michael van der Spuy
12. Damian de Allende
11. Cheslin Kolbe
10. Demetri Catrakilis
9. Louis Schreuder (vice-captain)
8. Nizaam Carr
7. Rynhardt Elstadt
6. Deon Fourie (captain)
5. De Kock Steenkamp
4. Michael Rhodes
3. Pat Cilliers
2. Scarra Ntubeni
1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
16. Frans Malherbe
17. Brok Harris
18. Schalk Burger
19. Josh Katzen
20. Nic Groom
21. Kurt Coleman
22. Ryan Nell