Province turn to Rassie

2008-07-16 22:06

Cape Town - Western Province have hauled out their Stormers kingpin as they prepare for another bruising Currie Cup battle this weekend.

Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus was roped in at Wednesday's training session to rally Allister Coetzee's badly shaken troops who are still feeling the effects of bruised egos (and bodies) after their demise at the hands of the hard-tackling Griquas in Kimberley last Saturday.

Erasmus who did well to rejuvenate the Stormers earlier year helped the WP side to structure their game strategy for Friday's Falcons clash in Brakpan, where the "Streeptruie" will be fielding at least two untried combinations.

The changes at halfback and in midfield are seen as the answer to WP's ailing fortunes, which has seen the side slide to a mid-table position and four log points adrift of the Sharks, the Currie Cup's pace-setters.

The strong running centre PJ Vermeulen who had one outing against the Sharks last month returns to the side at the expense of Morgan Newman, the Emerging Springboks skipper. Vermeulen will team up with his captain Gcobani Bobo in midfield.

Coetzee felt that Morgan needed more time to adjust to the rigours of Currie Cup rugby, as well as coping with the demands of playing at outside centre, rather than in his preferred position at inside centre.

Good both on attack and defence

"Morgan has not had much exposure at Currie Cup level and he's better suited to the inside centre berth," said Coetzee. "PJ is a specialist outside centre and is good both on attack and defence.

"He's also got pace and if we can create space for him out wide, he could be a dangerous player."

WP have wasted no time in roping in Dewald Duvenhage, the star South African Under-20 scrumhalf, who is on loan from neighbours Boland. He fitted in well at Wednesday's training and he'll speed up the possession to the WP backline.

Duvenhage, a product of Paarl Gymnasium, will team up with flyhalf Willem de Waal, who is nursing his foot after surgery to remove an ingrown toenail.

Duvenhage partnered flyhalf Naas Olivier at training. Olivier, who has been playing for the French Top 14 club Auch earlier this year, played for the Stormers and Western Province last season.

There is a glut of flyhalves in Cape Town and this has resulted in Isma-eel Dollie and Ricardo Croy moving on to Boland and SWD Eagles respectively earlier this week in search of game time.

WP's regular No 9 Alastair Siegelaar has been demoted to the bench.

"We are fortunate to be able to have a player like Dewald to call on," said Coetzee. "Dewald brings speed to the side, and that asset will be useful on the Highveld where the games tend to be played at a much faster pace because of the harder surfaces."

Coetzee said that WP's other scrumhalf Conrad Hoffman will be back in action in about a week's time. Hoffman, on the evidence of his play last season, is one of the finest No 9 prospects in the country.

The only change in the pack has come about as a result of an injury to openside flank Pieter Myburgh. He is replaced by Justin Melck who has been promoted from the substitutes' bench.

Simon Westraadt has been retained as the reserve hooker although Springbok Hanyani Shimange has returned to training and seems to be in excellent condition.

The Western Province team: Gio Aplon, Tonderai Chavhanga, PJ Vermeulen, Gcobani Bobo (captain), Wylie Human, Willem de Waal, Dewald Duvenhage, AJ Venter, Francois Louw, Justin Melck, Ross Skeate, Adriaan Fondse, Brok Harris, Deon Fourie, Wicus Blaauw.

Bench: Simon Westraadt, Schalk Ferreira, Pieter Louw, Conraad Britz, Alistair Siegelaar, Naas Olivier, Morgan Newman.

- SAPA