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‘Outstanding’ week away for DHL WP

PUBLISHED: February 26, 2013


The players in the DHL Western Province Vodacom Cup squad reported to the HPC on Monday with a spring in their steps, after a productive week spent on camp in Hermanus last week.

A 32-man DHL WP squad spent the week in Hermanus and coach John Dobson praised the “outstanding” time away with his new-look playing group.

Said Dobson: “We had an outstanding camp (in Hermanus).

“Hermanus seems to have become our default camp place for the DHL WP and DHL Stormers sides and it’s not surprising with the great training facilities at the primary school, the great accommodation at the Windsor Hotel and everything within walking distance – including an outstanding gym – and, of course, a very welcoming community.

“We have built up some great relationships which makes going there a treat.”

Looking back at the camp in detail, Dobson explained further: “For the first four days of the week we worked very hard, so come Thursday night our players were finished.

“But we had accomplished a lot and the group was a much tighter one. But they were sore after a tough week, so the Friday beach breakdown session was replaced with competitive sand-castle building which was won by Mike van der Spuy’s group who built a replica of the HPC!

Really though, it was a thoroughly productive and enjoyable camp. With (flyhalf) Kurt Coleman being the only player who started last year’s final in Kimberley looking set to play in our first game against Boland it’s a totally new team. Younger… but with a great work ethic. This camp certainly helped pull them together.”

DHL Western Province will kick-off their 2013 Vodacom Cup campaign with an away clash against neighbours, the Regent Boland Cavaliers, in early March.

Having won the Vodacom Cup title last year for the first time in the tournament’s history, DHL WP will be hoping to make it two in a row in 2013 – despite having to rely on a new-look squad this season.

Province will play in the South Section of the Vodacom Cup, along with the Border Bulldogs, the Regent Boland Kavaliers, the Eastern Province Kings, the Toyota Free State XV, the Sharks XV, the South Western Districts and the Pampas XV (from Argentina).

They will start against Boland on the weekend of March 8/9, before taking on the Sharks, the EP Kings, Border, the Pampas, SWD and, finally, Free State in the league phase of the competition. The play-offs then get underway in May.

* The DHL WP Vodacom Cup squad will be training at the Delft Rugby Club Grounds on Thursday, February 28 from 14h00 to 16h00.