Ex Supersport
DHL Western Province certainly won’t be lacking any size and bulk in the midfield during the coming Absa Currie Cup season if the centre combination chosen for the opening match against the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Newlands on Saturday comes off.
Big Pat Howard, normally a wing, has been chosen as Damian de Allende’s centre partner for the north-south showdown as Allister Coetzee goes about trying to plug the gap left by the selection to the Springbok squad of regular centres Juan de Jongh and Jean de Villiers.
Coach Coetzee has stated that he would like to find a player that fits the description of ex-Stormers and Springbok stalwart Jaque Fourie, who is now playing in Japan – and certainly in terms of physical strength and stature Howard would appear to fit the bill.
De Allende is a young player like Howard but he has had the benefit of a season of Super Rugby after making his Currie Cup debut last year (first as a wing and then as a centre in the domestic final against the Sharks).
With Demetri Catrakilis set to be available again once he is over his injury following his decision to link up with his old team on loan from the Southern Kings, and Gary van Aswegen having impressed the coach with his performance in the last Super Rugby match against the Bulls, midfield is one of the few areas of concern for WP as they go out to defend the trophy they won at Kings Park last year.
The WP outside back division certainly has plenty of flair for the midfield to feed, with Springbok Sevens star Cheslin Kolbe joining Howard in making his starting debut for Province (Howard did play as a replacement last year).
Under-21 lock Gerbrandt Grobler joins the experienced De Kock Steenkamp in the second row to complete a trio of players who will be making their first starts at Currie Cup level.
Although without several key players who are on Springbok duty, the WP side has an impressive blend of experience and youthful promise, and there is some depth too, with utility forward Michael Rhodes playing off the bench in this game after recovering from the injury that kept him out of the second half of the Super Rugby season.
Rhodes, along with fellow bench players Alistair Vermaak (a rookie from Stellenbosch) and Pat Cilliers, will be making his first appearance in WP colours at Currie Cup level if, or when, he does come onto the field.
The absence of a hooker on the bench to back up Scarra Ntubeni is an indication that Deon Fourie will switch to that position should the need arise, with Ruan Kitshoff, capped at international level for Namibia as a fetcher, primed to come on at openside flank in Fourie’s place.
“We're looking ahead to the 2013 Absa Currie Cup season – it's another great opportunity (for us) to unearth some new talent, as one can see with the team selected for Saturday,” said Coetzee.
“North-south derbies are always big games and we're not expecting anything different come this weekend. We're excited to be starting our campaign at home and we're hoping to have a big crowd at Newlands.”
DHL WESTERN PROVINCE: Gio Aplon, Gerhard van den Heever, Pat Howard, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Gary van Aswegen, Louis Schreuder, Nizaam Carr, Rynhardt Elstadt, Deon Fourie (captain), De Kock Steenkamp, Gerbrandt Grobler, Brok Harris, Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: Alistair Vermaak, Pat Cilliers, Michael Rhodes, Ruan Kitshoff, Nic Groom, Kurt Coleman, Berton Klaasen.
Its always of great interest to see the new guys knocking on the door. Alistair had better find a powerhouse mobile hooker in the process.
