DHL WP power up for semifinal

Oct 16 • General News • 1968 Views • Comments Off on DHL WP power up for semifinal

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Photo: Hennie Homann

DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has recalled all his big guns for Saturday’s 2014 Absa Currie Cup semifinal against the Vodacom Blue Bulls at DHL Newlands (kick-off 17h00).

Flanker Rynhardt Elstadt and inside centre Michael van der Spuy are the only starting survivors from last week’s experimental line-up that took on a full-strength Sharks team at DHL Newlands.

Amongst the players recalled by coach Coetzee this week are skipper and centre Juan de Jongh (the team’s leading try-scorer this season), vice-captain and tighthead prop Pat Cilliers, the fit-again pairing of fullback Cheslin Kolbe and lock Jean Kleyn and SA Sevens speedster Seabelo Senatla.

Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis will play his 50th match for DHL WP this weekend, with Nic Groom partnering him at halfback.

Scrumhalf Louis Schreuder and flyhalf Kurt Coleman, both of whom also reached the 50-game mark this season for DHL WP, revert to the bench this week, where they will be joined by Oli Kebble, Brok Harris, Sikhumbuzo Notshe and young gun EW Viljoen.

“We’ve selected the best possible team to represent DHL Western Province in Saturday’s semifinal,” Coetzee told wprugby.com.

“It’s fantastic to welcome back the likes of Kolbe and Kleyn from injury and to have Seabelo back from Sevens duty but, as with last week, I have faith in every player that goes out there to represent DHL WP.

“I had my starting XV pretty much thought out earlier this week, but we had some tough calls to make on the bench.”

One of the “tough calls” made by Coetzee was opting to select two props this week, whilst the Province boss also revealed that centre Jaco Taute was not considered for selection because of his ongoing rib injury.

Said Coetzee: “Oli’s ball-carrying could be a factor in the second half on Saturday and not many teams are able to call upon a Brok Harris (with over 200 first-class appearances for WP Rugby) off the bench.

“We are happy that we have ticked all the boxes in terms of selection and are looking forward to Saturday’s encounter against a very confident and much-improved Bulls team.

“Forget any previous results or encounters. Play-offs are a different beast altogether and we won’t be looking back, but rather looking ahead and focusing on our own processes and implementation thereof.”

Saturday’s semifinal at DHL Newlands will get underway at 17h00, with the DHL WP Under-21 team hosting the Free State U21s in their Absa Provincial Under-21 semifinal beforehand at 14h30.

Match tickets are also still available for the weekend’s two big clashes – starting at JUST R90 for standing places and ranging from R150 to R250 for seating spots. These tickets can be purchased from wprugby.ticketpros, or directly from the DHL Newlands Box Office (Tuesday to Friday – 09h00-16h00 and Saturday – 09h00-17h30).

All 2014 DHL Newlands season tickets ARE VALID for Saturday.
The DHL WP team for Saturday (v Blue Bulls, home) is as follows:

15. Cheslin Kolbe
14. Kobus van Wyk
13. Juan de Jongh (captain)
12. Michael van der Spuy
11. Seabelo Senatla
10. Demetri Catrakilis (50th cap for DHL Western Province)
9. Nic Groom
8. Nizaam Carr
7. Michael Rhodes
6. Rynhardt Elstadt
5. Manuel Carizza
4. Jean Kleyn
3. Pat Cilliers (vice-captain)
2. Scarra Ntubeni
1. Alistair Vermaak
Replacements:
16. Neil Rautenbach
17. Oli Kebble
18. Brok Harris
19. Sikhumbuzo Notshe
20. Louis Schreuder
21. Kurt Coleman
22. EW Viljoen
Referee: Lesego ‘Pro’ Legoete
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker, Linston Manuels
Television Match Official: Deon van Blommestein