Injured big guns back for Cats

2006-04-06 21:30

Hennie Brandt

Johannesburg - All the Cats' injured big guns should be ready for the Super 14 derby at Ellis Park against the Sharks on Saturday next week.

It is a foregone conclusion that Springbok Ashwin Willemse will return as wing if he passes the test playing for the Lions in a Vodacom Cup match against Boland in Wellington on Saturday.

This will be his first match since a hamstring injury sidelined him in February.

More good news for the Cats is that lock KleinJan Tromp should be fit for inclusion in the 22-man squad to take on the Sharks. The derby promises to be a physical war between the two packs.

Tromp returned home with a neck injury after the Cats' match against the Crusaders in Christchurch. An X-ray has shown he does not have permanent damage.

His presence in the starting lineup, or as impact player from the bench, will be a major boost for the Cats.

There is also possibility that Trevor Hall (knee injury) would recover in time to play in the derby.

And to top it all flyhalf Andre Pretorius will make his Super 14 debut against the Reds at Ellis Park on Saturday. He has been sidelined with an ankle injury since November.

Another Bok, scrumhalf Enrico Januarie, who returned home after an elbow injury sustained in the match against the Crusaders, will get valuable playing time against the Reds from the bench to give him match exposure before the Sharks match.

Jorrie Muller is the only Cats player who travelled overseas with the squad who will not be considered for the match against the Sharks.

The versatile Bok back injured cross ligaments in his knee against the Crusaders and also returned home. An operation is unnecessary, but Muller will be out of action for another six to eight weeks.

Cats coach Frans Ludeke is however not thinking of the match against the Sharks.

"I don't even want to talk about that match. The only one we're thinking and talking about is this one (the match against the Reds on Saturday)."

He says Wikus van Heerden and his team-mates really want to do well at home after their unsuccessful Australasian tour.

- Beeld