Western Province | 2013 Currie Cup

[Draggs]

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The 2012 winners will be eager to defend their ***le, and are reportedly attempting to lure former standoff and current King Demetri Catrakilis back home.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

We are actually very well placed to defend our ***le IMO simply because we don't lose a lot (at least compared to the other 'big' teams) with our Springboks out of the picture and when the Boks do return we simply add 2 or 3 classy players whereas the other unions have to decide whether to go for continuity or caliber and generally both aren't sure choices.

I mean who do we lose that we havn't had during the SR in any case? JdV and Etzebeth. That's about it.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Gio Aplon
Edries Arendse
Stef Botha*
Marcel Brache
Schalk Burger
Nizaam Carr
Pat Cilliers
Kurt Coleman
Bolla Conradie*
Damian de Allende
Juan de Jongh
Jean de Villiers
Rynhardt Elstadt
Pieter Engelbrecht*
Eben Etzebeth
Deon Fourie (captain)
Taz Fuzani
Gerbrandt Grobler
Nic Groom
Brok Harris
Mark Hodgkiss*
Conrad Hoffmann*
Rohan Kitshoff
Steven Kitshoff
Cheslin Kolbe
Siya Kolisi
Berton Klaasen
Tiaan Liebenberg
Sinethemba Mapaqa*
Frans Malherbe
Ryan Nell*
Scarra Ntubeni
Patrick O'Brien*
Craig Pheiffer*
Michael Rhodes
Louis Schreuder
De Kock Steenkamp
Gary van Aswegen
Gerhard van den Heever
Michael van der Spuy
Alistair Vermaak
Duane Vermeulen


I'm assuming JdV, Etzebeth and some combo of Burger, Kolisi and Vermeulen are going to be unavailable due to Bok duty. Actually I'm going to assume that Vermeulen and Burger will play CC and won't be rushed back for the Bokke. So I'd very much hope for a matchday 22 of; ... actually, I'll have to have a think about it. No Pat Howard in our 42 man provisional squad.. wonder what the deal is there.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Source - http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup/news/130805/Uncapped_Maties_duo_in_WP_squad


[h=1]Uncapped Maties duo in WP squad[/h]

The ABSA Currie Cup is supposed to be all about blooding new players ahead of next year's Vodacom Super Rugby so DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee would have been pleased on Monday to announce a squad of 26 that has an impressive mix of youth and experience.

Of course as domestic champions WP will be aiming to retain that status, but their campaign is also about developing new talent, and the Maties duo of Alistair Vermaak (prop) and Ryan Nell (utility back) have a great chance to make names for themselves. Neither of them has been exposed to rugby at provincial level before.
The trimmed down squad has been called up to prepare for Saturday's opening match against the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Newlands, with the match day group to be announced on Wednesday. In addition to Vermaak and Nell, there are also several young players who have already played parts in Stormers and WP Super Rugby and Currie Cup campaigns in the mix.
Lock Gerbrandt Grobler, flyhalf Tim Swiel, wing Pat Howard and fullback Cheslin Kolbe are all youngsters considered to have bright futures and hooker Stefan Coetzee is also still under-21. They will be looking to do what Damian de Allende and Nic Groom did last year by establishing themselves as players who could play regular Super Rugby.
Back in the game after injury are a couple of players who missed out the second half of the Super Rugby season because of injury, with someone like Michael Rhodes, who can play both flank and lock, as can Rynhardt Elstadt, sure to add both options and a hard edge to the Province pack.
Springboks Pat Cilliers and Gio Aplon will be available to face the Bulls after missing out on Springbok selection and Coetzee will be hoping they will rub some of their experience off on the players around them.
"We will have Pat and Gio playing for us this week but we will obviously be without the rest of our Boks who were selected into the national squad for the Castle Rugby Championship," said Coetzee.
"Our preparations have gone well and a match against the Bulls, which is a traditional north versus south derby, is always looked forward to with great anticipation."
WP will be aiming to do to the Bulls what they did to the Stormers in the opening match of Super Rugby – in other words set back their campaign at the outset with an away defeat.
WP SQUAD
Forwards: Scarra Ntubeni, Stephan Coetzee, Stephen Kitshoff, Alistair Vermaak, Pat Cilliers, Brok Harris, Gerbrandt Grobler, De Kock Steenkamp, Ruan Kitshoff, Deon Fourie (captain), Michael Rhodes, Nizaam Carr, Rynhardt Eltadt.
Backs: Louis Schreuder, Nic Groom, Gary van Aswegen, Tim Swiel, Kurt Coleman, Burton Klaasen, Damian de Allende, Pat Howard, Ryan Nell, Gerhard van den Heever, Ederies Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe, Gio Aplon.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Source - http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup/news/130805/Uncapped_Maties_duo_in_WP_squad

WP SQUAD
Forwards: Scarra Ntubeni, Stephan Coetzee, Stephen Kitshoff, Alistair Vermaak, Pat Cilliers, Brok Harris, Gerbrandt Grobler, De Kock Steenkamp, Ruan Kitshoff, Deon Fourie (captain), Michael Rhodes, Nizaam Carr, Rynhardt Eltadt.
Backs: Louis Schreuder, Nic Groom, Gary van Aswegen, Tim Swiel, Kurt Coleman, Burton Klaasen, Damian de Allende, Pat Howard, Ryan Nell, Gerhard van den Heever, Ederies Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe, Gio Aplon.

Delighted to see some names here that weren't in the provisional training squad and at only 26 one can expect everyone to get game time. I'm especially referring to Howard and Swiel. Just hope Catrakilis joining WP for the Currie Cup doesn't keep Van Aswegen and Swiel from getting time though they may opt to play Swiel at 15 (from where he can join the line and create play ala Willie le Roux) and alternate with Kolbe considering we have lost a host of back three talent for next year's Superugby. Very thin in the backrow for a top SA franchize IMO. Hope Schalk comes good soon but he probably won't get time this year.. Otherwise a solid, balanced squad. Burton Klaasen shouldn't be there though considering the amount of other 10's we would want to get coming through and the little depth we have wider out.

My 1st choice starting XV:
1Kitshoff
2Ntubeni
3Cilliers
4Elstadt
5Steenkamp
6Fourie (c)
7Rhodes
8Carr
9Schreuder
10Van Aswegen
11Kolbe
12Allende
13Howard
14Aplon
15Swiel

 

[Gena_ZA]

Would start with Rhodes and Carr as impact player at 8, Elstadt at 7
Still have the same problem at the back 3 - Size - height & weight

Swiel - 1.80, 80kg
Kolbe - 1.70 - 69kg
Aplon - 1.75 - 78kg

To counter this v/D Heever can play wing and 15
Allede can play wing and Swiel or Kolbe at 12
Howard can also play at wing where he is more comfortable although he could become devastating at 13

Just ideas, not considering combinations etc as of yet.
This is not too much of a problem at CC level but something to conciser for the next S15 - albeit Taute will be back then

 

[Gena_ZA]

15. Gio Aplon
14. Gerhard van den Heever
13. Pat Howard
12. Damian de Allende
11. Cheslin Kolbe
10. Gary van Aswegen
9. Louis Schreuder (vice-captain)
8. Nizaam Carr
7. Rynhardt Elstadt
6. Deon Fourie (captain)
5. De Kock Steenkamp
4. Gerbrandt Grobler
3. Brok Harris
2. Scarra Ntubeni
1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
16. Alistair Vermaak
17. Pat Cilliers
18. Michael Rhodes
19. Ruan Kitshoff
20. Nic Groom
21. Kurt Coleman
22. Berton Klaasen

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

15. Gio Aplon
14. Gerhard van den Heever
13. Pat Howard
12. Damian de Allende
11. Cheslin Kolbe
10. Gary van Aswegen
9. Louis Schreuder (vice-captain)
8. Nizaam Carr
7. Rynhardt Elstadt
6. Deon Fourie (captain)
5. De Kock Steenkamp
4. Gerbrandt Grobler
3. Brok Harris
2. Scarra Ntubeni
1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
16. Alistair Vermaak
17. Pat Cilliers
18. Michael Rhodes
19. Ruan Kitshoff
20. Nic Groom
21. Kurt Coleman
22. Berton Klaasen

Close enough. Bringing vd Heever in probably a better idea than what I had. And TBF Elstadt has been doing well enough at 7 and there's no need to add any unecessary disruptions. I would have liked to see Swiel at least wearing 22.. hope he isn't another promising young back heading North because of no game time.

 

[LittleGuy]

I think the side should be hungry as well, the Super Rugby season was such a dissapointment that the boys should be pushing that little extra in this comp. Catrakilis returning would be big. Considering the patch job Coetzee had to do with the lineup with all the injuries last year, I expect the side to be just as good and should be a ***le contendor.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

We looked goodish except for the Bulls dominating us in the set phases which meant we could not get any posession in the right places. Think Rasta had a decent game for the most part as well; good to see.