Springbok centre Juan de Jongh has been drafted straight back into the DHL Western Province starting line-up for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup meeting with GWK Griquas in Kimberley (kick-off 15h00).
De Jongh, who was released from the Bok squad at the weekend, replaces Pat Howard in the No.13 jersey, the latter dropping out with a slight hamstring strain.
In one other injury-related change in the backline from Saturday’s 15-14 win over the FS Cheetahs, Gary van Aswegen (shoulder) has not been passed fit, with Kurt Coleman taking over at flyhalf in what will be his first Absa Currie Cup start.
Coleman, however, has 29 DHL WP caps, at Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup level, and has also made six Super Rugby appearances for the DHL Stormers since 2011.
“Kurt has been in our system for a long time now and although he hasn’t started for us at Absa Currie Cup level (until now), he has started for the DHL Stormers in Super Rugby (in an overseas fixture), so he does have big-game experience,” DHL WP coach Allister Coetzee told www.wprugby.com.
In a final change to the WP starting XV this week, Springbok prop Pat Cilliers will make his first start for the Cape side, after two appearances off the bench, with recent
centurion Brok Harris reverting to the bench.
“We all saw how good Brok was against the Cheetahs (in his 100th game for DHL WP), but you will remember that there was a season where Brok was overplayed and we don’t want to do that again,” explained Coetzee. “It’s important to rotate, particularly in the front row.”
And joining Harris on the bench in Kimberley will be WP Under-21 flyhalf Tim Swiel, one of four U21 players in this weekend’s matchday squad. Swiel will make his senior Currie Cup debut for Province should he take the field on Saturday.
“Like Kurt, he (Tim Swiel) has a good pass on him, and is also an exciting runner with the ball,” said Coetzee.
“Tim is a very intelligent rugby player and he kicks well out of hand. Kurt will carry the goalkicking responsibilities on Saturday, and Tim will be the back-up.”
The DHL Western Province team to take on Griquas is as follows:
15. Gio Aplon
14. Gerhard van den Heever
13. Juan de Jongh
12. Damian de Allende
11. Cheslin Kolbe
10. Kurt Coleman (First Absa Currie Cup start for DHL Western Province)
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 (First Absa Currie Cup start for DHL Western Province)
2. Scarra Ntubeni
1. Steven Kitshoff
Reserves:
16. Tiaan Liebenberg
17. Brok Harris
18. Gerbrandt Grobler
19. Rohan Kitshoff
20. Nic Groom
21. Tim Swiel (On Absa Currie Cup debut for DHL Western Province)
22. Ryan Nell
Referee: Sindile Mayende
