Joe Pieterson is back and on the bench.

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

15. Gio Aplon
14. Gerhard van den Heever
13. JP du Plessis
12. Marcel Brache
11. Damian de Allende
10. Demetri Catrakilis
9. Nic Groom
8. Jebb Sinclair
7. Tyrone Holmes
6. Deon Fourie (captain)
5. De Kock Steenkamp
4. Don Armand
3. Brok Harris
2. Scarra Ntubeni
1. Deon Carstens

RESERVES:
16. Steven Kitshoff
17. Tom Botha*
18. Wilhelm van der Sluys
19. Helmut Lehmann
20. Louis Schreuder
21. Kurt Coleman
22. Joe Pietersen

The bad news is that Elstadt is out injured again. I do not know for how long.

Koster and Carr are still out - wonder how that is going as well as Schalk of course.

 I hope these Loosies come back soon. I have not seen anything in holmes that inspires any confidense so far. i hope he proves me wrong this weekend but really. Jebb to me is physicall enough but on the slow side.

I would really like Koster back as soon as possible. We miss his pace.

I thought Carr was out for the whole year???

I agree EK, Jebb is still looking to slow out there. I thought after a few months of practice, and lots of game time his fitness, and speed would pick up at least a little bit, but it doesn't seem to be the case. He's playing decent, but I'm not overly impressed. You can really see the difference in play from SA's, and Canadians out there. The SA's just have that pace.....It will be huge to get Koster back.

I'm liking Du Plessis, and Van der Heeven so far this year.

 Agreed Can. Maybe i think Jebb is better suited to Nr4 lock than to Nr8.

To me the 3 pillars of the last 2 weeks were Groom, Brache and Catrakillis.

JP had one excellent Game against the bulls the rest he was so so. but he definitely has the potential and partners well with Brache. We now have good cover at centre I think. I actually rate the combo of Brache and JP higher than the combo of De jongh and de villiers. not neccesirly as individual players but as a combination, they cick really well.

Ek

I do believe that Pietersen was extremely poor in the last few games he played at Super 15 level and CC level.   If he continues in the same way - his return is no advantage for WP.  

I would also like to see Koster back - but nobody seems to know what is going on in this case.   Burger - I doubt whether he will ever play rugby again - he will soon be missing out on play for a year.  

 pieterson is on the Bench though so he is bound te be filtered bck into the game. I think If Pieterson has free reign to play his own game you will see another player altogether than the one you saw in the end of the S15, but it's just a suspition.

Ek Joe could shine in  a lessor competition like this and in a free flowing style as you suggest.

Mike I have it on very good authority that Burger said that his doctor thinks the op he had recently was a success. So lets hope for the best.

Jeb Sinclair has not really shown he can command a Super 15 spot and yes pace has been the issue.