CAPE TOWN – Western Province coach John Dobson has made five changes to the pack for their crucial Currie Cup clash with the Sharks in Durban on Saturday (kick-off 7pm).
A win is non-negotiable in their final regular-season game for Province in order to qualify for the play-offs,something that’s perhaps a big ask given the average season they had.
Dobson’s men have won just five of their 11 games and are currently at the bottom half of the standings in fifth spot. Only the Cheetahs and the hugely-disappointing Lions are below them at sixth and seventh respectively.
Up front, there are two new props in Leon Lyons and Neethling Fouche starting on either side of hooker Andre-Hugo Venter.
Johan du Toit shofts from the loose trio into the second row, with flanks Deon Fourie and Marcel Theunissen coming into the starting line-up on the side of the scrum.
In the backline Juan de Jongh comes back in at outside centre and Ruhan Nel moves out to the right wing, with Sergeal Petersen at fullback in place of Warrick Gelant who has an injury niggle.
Dobson said that his team is ready to put everything they have into this game.
"This has been a Currie Cup campaign unlike any other and we know exactly what we need to do in order to be playing in a semifinal next week.
"Having had a whole week to prepare, we have worked hard on certain areas of our game and the players will definitely be highly motivated to do the jersey proud and get the result we need in Durban," he said.
Western Province: 15 Sergeal Petersen, 14 Ruhan Nel, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 Johan du Toit, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Leon Lyons.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Simon Miller, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Rikus Pretorius, 23 Tristan Leyds, 24 Justin Basson, 25 De Wet Marais.
IOL Sport