DHL Western Province coach John Dobson has announced his team for Friday afternoon’s Vodacom Cup, Round Four clash against the Border Bulldogs in East London (kick-off 15h00).
DHL WP have won two games and lost one thus far in 2014 and will be eyeing a first away win of the season this coming weekend, despite being forced into making a few changes to their team.
In all, coach Dobson has made five changes to the Province starting line-up – most notably at No.7 flank and No.4 lock, with Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Tazz Fuzani currently on tour with the DHL Stormers and named in the 23-man squad to face the Reds in Brisbane.
“Obviously, this has been another disrupted week given the enforced changes to our team, as well as the fact that we’re playing on Friday afternoon, which makes it a short week and basically means you have to wrap up training proper on Tuesday,” Dobson told www.wprugby.com.
Looking at the team changes for Friday, Dobson explained: “(Centre) Mike van der Spuy who has been so influential for us, has to rest (this week) after taking a knock to the head against the EP Kings.
“Then, of course, (flank) Sikhumbuzo Notshe and (lock) Tazz Fuzani have joined the DHL Stormers Down Under. I am pleased for them and they both did well last week.
“The short week means it was hard to really integrate any Maties players who played on Monday evening (in the Varsity Cup semifinals). But with UWC having a week off, and having finished their Varsity Shield campaign, we could bring in scrumhalf Freddie Muller who has been in our structures before and is in good form.
“It does mean this year’s ‘run’ on the lock position continues to present challenges and for that reason we have moved in Carel du Preez, who is really an eighthman, to cover for Tazz at No.4.
“I am thrilled that we could include another player from Jerome Paarwater’s talent identification programme in (loose forward) Ruan Vermaak of Unie-Mil – he has worked hard in the off-season. Ian Groenewald, meanwhile, is fresh out of the Maties team (from the Varsity Cup) and will provide lock cover for us.
“(Prop) Christo van Wyk and (fullback) Tiger Bax are just being rotated,” added Dobson. “We also wanted to have another look at (fullback) Adrian Roberts, who has also come through the talent identification programme, and (tighthead prop) Deacon Chowles was outstanding for us in last year’s U21 Final.”
The DHL Western Province team for Friday (v Border) is as follows:
15. Adrian Roberts
14. JP Lewis
13. Johnny Kotze
12. Kyle Lombard
11. Devon Williams
10. Gary van Aswegen
9. Dylon Frylinck
8. Rayn Smid
7. Reuben Johannes
6. Rohan Kitshoff (captain)
5. Jan Uys
4. Carel du Preez
3. Deacon Chowles
2. Michael Kennedy
1. Alistair Vermaak
Replacements:
16. Chad Solomon
17. Christo van Wyk
18. Ian Groenewald
19. Ruan Vermaak
20. Freddie Muller
21. Tiger Bax
22. Janco Gunter
Referee: Christie du Preez