Deon Fourie has been named as the Western Province captain for the season and will lead the side from the flank when they face the Sharks at Newlands in their first Absa Currie Cup match on Saturday.
There are nine newcomers to the side due to a combination of international commitments and coach Allister Coetzee’s desire to use the coming domestic season as an opportunity to build depth in preparation for the next edition of Vodacom Super Rugby.
One player who was expected to be there who will be missing, is big Rynhardt Elstadt. The flanker was expected to continue in the No 7 jersey that he wore for the Stormers in the Super Rugby season, with Don Armand playing lock, but the WP management decided against risking Elstadt, who has been struggling with a minor groin injury.
“Rynhardt has been suffering from groin stiffness. There is no tear, or anything like that, and that is what we want to avoid. Rynhardt will miss this game and will probably be out next week as well,” said Coetzee.
Marcel Brache has been named as Fourie’s deputy, and will start in the No 12 jersey usually worn by Jean de Villiers in the game against the Sharks.
“I wanted the two leaders to be players that are sure of their places and with Jean away that is the case with Marcel, who is also lining up in a position that is closer to the play than guys like Gio Aplon or Joe Pietersen, who could also have filled leadership roles.
“I prefer having leaders that are closer to the action. The appointment of Deon as our captain does not mean we are going to play him only as an openside flank. It is just at the moment we have a bit of a crisis there.”
Last year Fourie and Tiaan Liebenberg, the other hooker, alternated as captains, so it is going to be interesting to see what Coetzee does when he doesn’t have a problem at looseforward and Fourie and Liebenberg are both available to play hooker.
“This is a new chapter for WP rugby and we are starting from scratch with so many newcomers so it is going to be really exciting,” said Fourie.
Not all the players making their debut for WP on Saturday are new to Currie Cup rugby.
Gerhard van den Heever, the right wing, is for instance a former Bulls player who also played for the Stormers in Super Rugby, and flyhalf Burton Francis has played for the Bulls and the Lions.
“I think that Burton is really looking forward to the opportunity to start,” said Coetee.
The other newcomers include impressive young outside centre JP du Plessis, of whom a lot is expected this year.
The former Melbourne Rebels recruit(?) was part of the WP Vodacom Cup side that won that competition for the first time earlier this year.
The debutants in the pack include Canadian international Jebb Sinclair at No 8, flanker Tyrone Holmes, Don Armand at lock and former Sharks Springbok Deon Carstens at loosehead prop.
Carstens is playing ahead of Steven Kitshoff, who is injured. WP have two props on the bench in Brok Harris and JC Kritzinger. (Good to see him back
The newcomers on the bench are lock Wilhelm van der Sluys and back reserve Damian de Allende.
WESTERN PROVINCE: Joe Pietersen, Gerhard van den Heever, JP du Plessis, Marcel Brache, Gio Aplon, Burton Francis, Dewaldt Duvenage, Jebb Sinclair, Tyrone Holmes, Deon Fourie (captain), De Kock Steenkamp, Don Armand, Frans Malherbe, Tiaan Liebenberg, Deon Carstens.
Replacements: Siyabonga Ntubeni, Brok Harris, JC Kritzinger, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Louis Schreuder, Gary van Aswegen, Damian de Allende.
Huge difference from super 15 sides showin once again that this is a third tier comp. Value is to unearth talent etc.
