Currie Cup Red Disa Consortium

Kade Wolhuter of Western Province during the 2020/21 Carling Black Label Currie Cup qualifier between Western Province and Pumas at Newlands Rugby in Cape Town on 11 December 2020 © Ryan Wilkisky/Sports Inc

Currie Cup News: WP signal intent with strong team to face Griquas

Western Province have signalled their intent with the inclusion of a few key players for their Currie Cup clash with Griquas.

Currie Cup Red Disa Consortium

Kade Wolhuter of Western Province during the 2020/21 Carling Black Label Currie Cup qualifier between Western Province and Pumas at Newlands Rugby in Cape Town on 11 December 2020 © Ryan Wilkisky/Sports Inc

Western Province have signalled their intent with the inclusion of a few key players for their Currie Cup clash with Griquas in Kimberley on Friday.

There are five changes to the forward pack that featured in Western Province’s last match in Durban a fortnight ago.

Bringing out the big guns

Prop Neethling Fouche makes his return from injury and hooker Andre-Hugo Venter also comes into the front row.

Meanwhile, lock Ben-Jason Dixon and loose forwards Marcel Theunissen and Nama Xaba all come into the starting line-up at Tafel Lager Park.

Dixon, Theunissen and captain Xaba will all also get some valuable gametime having featured among the replacements for the Stormers in recent weeks.

Loose forward Junior Pokomela will also make his Western Province debut from the replacements bench, having recently recovered from injury.

Versatile Kade Wolhuter make his first start of the season at fullback, with Sergeal Petersen shifting to the right wing.

Western Province Head Coach Jerome Paarwater said that the players coming in are all keen to make the most of this opportunity in what will be a challenging match away from home.

“Playing the Tafel Lager Griquas in Kimberley is never easy, so we will have to be as accurate as possible for the full 80 minutes up there.

“We have had two weeks to work on a few aspects of our game and have worked closely with the DHL Stormers squad, which has been good for us.

“The guys coming in are all hungry to show what they have to offer and we are looking forward to seeing how some of the new combinations go,” he said.

WP Rugby

WP Currie Cup team

Western Province: 15 Kade Wolhuter, 14 Sergeal Petersen. 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Cornel Smit. 11 Leolin Zas. 10 Timothy Swiel. 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Marcel Theunissen. 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Ben-Jason Dixon. 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.

Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon. 17 Leon Lyons. 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko. 19 Connor Evans. 20 Junior Pokomela. 21 Thomas Bursey. 22 Sacha Mngomezulu, 23 Ethan James.