Province need a massive score

2008-09-10 22:54

Stephen Nell

Cape Town - Western Province skipper Jean de Villiers has conceded that his side will have to work at its points difference in the run-up to the Currie Cup semi-final.

Saturday's game against the Falcons at Newlands would appear to be a good place to start.

The Lions made mincemeat of the visitors when they beat them 83-14 last week.

In this respect one would, therefore, expect WP, with a points difference of -4, to see this as an opportunity to catch up with the Lions (+109) and the Cheetahs (+73).

WP trail the Lions by 9 league points and the Cheetahs by 10. The latter two teams still have some difficult encounters ahead of them, and WP, with all their Springboks back in the side, will be hoping to finish in the top four.

Should any teams finish with the same number of points, the points difference will be decisive.

This is calculated by deducting the number of points scored against a team from the number of points it has scored against the other teams.

"The points difference can be important, but a win over the Falcons remains our priority," De Villiers said on Wednesday.

"We first have to come up with a good performance and only then can we look at the points differential."

Extenuating circumstances

The fact that WP is speaking somewhat cautiously about the matter is probably due to the 32-38 defeat they suffered against the Falcons in Brakpan earlier this year.

While that result was unacceptable, there were extenuating circumstances, as WP played that match without their Boks.

The Cheetahs' next two games are away against the Sharks and at home against the Blue Bulls, while the Lions also still have to play the Sharks before their last match against the WP.

On Wednesday WP coach Allister Coetzee selected his strongest possible side, which includes stars like De Villiers and flanker Schalk Burger.

However, Gcobani Bobo's injury means that Sireli Naqelevuki will have to play outside centre, with Wylie Human filling the vacant left wing position.

"Rassie Erasmus (WP senior professional coach and head coach of the Stormers) showed me visuals of Sireli's excellent performances at outside centre for Fiji," said Coetzee.

"We want to create depth for the Super14 series next year and it will be nice to know that we can fall back on Sireli if Gcobani gets injured.

"I have no doubt about Sireli's talent. And where else are you likely to find a combination of two such great centres?"

"I look forward to the combination of Jean and Sireli."

Western Province: Conrad Jantjes; Tonderai Chavhanga, Sireli Naqelevuki, Jean de Villiers (captain), Wylie Human; Peter Grant, Ricky Januarie; Luke Watson, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Andries Bekker, Adriaan Fondse, Brian Mujati, Schalk Brits, Wicus Blaauw.

Replacements - Deon Fourie, JC Kritzinger, AJ Venter, Nick Koster, Bolla Conradie, Joe Pietersen and Morgan Newman.

- Die Burger